Killing Perfection
by Godwolf Fenrir
Summary: After the Sandaimes death the council tries to kill Naruto who managed to escape. But keeping a low profile is not so ease when one slowly transforms into a demon, suffers from a hero complex and attracts trouble and powerful enemys like honey bees.
1. Chapter 1: The calm before the storm

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does.

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_None

* * *

**SUMMARY FOR THE WHOLE STORY!!**

**In the aftermath of the Sandaime's death the council takes the role of leading Konoha till a new Hokage is elected. They use this chance to get ride of the unwanted 'demon brat' and hire an assassin to murder him. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on the point of view, is the assassin no one other than Naruto himself. Well, 'herself' to be truthful, but no one knew that of course.**

**With a little persuasion on Kyuubi's part Naruto leaves Konoha in the unaccounted, but not unwanted company of Sasuke and Sakura. But travelling with the adopted daughter of the 'King of Demons' that seems to suffer from a hero complex and attracts trouble left and right is not easy and keeping a low profile almost impossible. Soon tales of their heroic deeds will travel the world and more than one village would love to get their claws on the trio.**

**Akatsuki, Orochimaru, Danzo and his Root, lovesick demons with a desire to become the new king through the hanyou Naruto, are only a few of the problems they will encounter on their way to become the best, especially with Naruto's own uncontrollable demon powers running rampage once in a while.**

**Their journey will lead them throughout the elemental nations and Naruto will finally learn of her true heritage. Be it the truth about her father or her mother whose strange connection to the county of whirlpool she shares. What secrets are the two sannin hiding?**

**And then there's the prophecy. The question is will Naruto be able to cope with the destiny that she has been fated with and lead the nations to peace or will the many enemies she collects on her way through live be her undoing and consequently the undoing of the world?**

* * *

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Prologue: The calm before the storm

It was a beautiful day, the day after the Sandaime's funeral. The sun stood high in the sky above Konoha, caressing the village and its inhabitants with its gentle rays. While villagers and ninja alike were busy repairing the damage inflicted on the buildings by the Suna/Oto invasion a lone figure sat on top of the Hokage Monument, more specifically the Yondaime's spiky head, mind somewhere else.

Uzumaki Naruto was currently walking the corridors symbolising the seal that held the greatest demon known to humankind. It was not really a homely place with all the pipes lining the sealing and water covering the floor. The dim light didn't help to lighten the atmosphere either. The only one who was normally able to do that with his mere presents and personality was on his way to his 'prisoner'. But instead of the usual 'foxy grin' a worried look adored his face…

"Kyuu," he called out the moment he set foot into the chamber that held the great demon Lord. "You there?"

A snore followed his words bouncing of the walls and creating an ominous echo. **"Where else should I be?" **Thekitsune growled annoyed. **"On a vacation maybe?"**

"Who knows what you are doing in here when I'm not around?" The blond remarked shrugging, tiny smirk in place. He simply loved to ruffle the kitsune's fur whenever he got the chance to do so.

Suddenly the shadows behind the bars parted and revealed the most feared being in history. Kyuubi no Yoko manifested himself not in his greatest form but a horse-sized one. Before Naruto could react one of Kyuubis tails lashed out, going straight through the bars and bonked Naruto on the head. Hard.

"Oww! What the hell!?" Naruto yelled, nursing his abused head. "Stupid fox!"

Faster than he could react the same tail lashed out at him once again, bonking him two more times.

"**First of all don't, I repeat DO NOT, call me," **the demon shivered by the mere thought of it, **"KYUU! EVER!" **

"But…"

"**Secondly," **Kyuubi continued, this time growling considerably louder. **"Show some respect. I-"**

"Yeah, yeah," the blond interrupted , massaging his forehead as if he was suffering from an incoming migraine, effectively cutting the kitsune off before he could even get started. He knew out of experience that the demon liked to hear himself talking and would go on and on and on… and **on,** when he was not stopped in the beginning. "I already know how great you are. Kami knows you mention it often enough…" Muttering the last part quietly under his breath, fully aware of the fact that the kitsune could still hear him thanks to his far superior senses. Nevertheless Naruto couldn't resist to add one more verbal slap. "Didn't save you from getting your ass sealed, thought."

Luckily instead of pummelling the blond into the ground the demon Lord choose to simply ignore him. He was right after all. No sense in denying the obvious truth.

"**Thirdly," **Kyuubi continued, changing the conversation into a direction where his ego was more or less save from Naruto and his big mouth. **"How often did I tell you not to come in front of me in this hideous disguise!?"**

"What have all the people always against my jumpsuit?" Naruto hollered, fake tears running down his face.

Sighting Kyuubi bummed him on the head for the fourth time that day. **"I didn't mean that second fur of yours and you know it. Besides I like the color…"**

Stopping his antics Naruto grinned at his tenant, eying his reddish-orange fur. "Sure you do. And the answer to your question is two-thousand-eight-hundred-and-ninety-eight times," he replied without a second hesitation. "Including this time of course."

"**Stop being such a smart ass,"** the demon Lord chuckled and let one of his tails wander to Narutos neck, searching for that special spot… **"Ahh! There you go." **With a flicker of youki Naruto began to change and with him the whole sewer.

The pipes along the walls disappeared along with the darkness and chilling atmosphere. The water that covered the floor remained, but it deepened slightly and cleared to a crystal-blue so one could see the ground below, which changed from hard smooth stone to soft white sand. Little islands rose out of the water covered in soft moss and occasionally a few beautiful colored flowers. Big, well shaped trees grew out of this islands and formed a dense roof of leafs concealing the walls.

Every last one of the leafs gave off a soft green glow while they gently floated in a nonexistent breeze. It was a beautiful landscape that reflected Naruto's gentle and bright nature much better than that Kami forbidden sewer, additionally it was a more appropriate environment for its foxy inhabitant. Even the bars of the cage had changed, well not really but green ivory had wound itself around them, so they did not look so much out of place anymore.

"**That's **_**much**_** better,"** Kyuubi repeated ogling Naruto's new appearance, thought there wasn't much to see. Nearly all the changes were concealed by the baggy orange jumpsuit. Naruto's face was now more heart-shaped, the cheekbones more pronounced and the lips fuller. Under the orange clothes Naruto wore was a well developed body, for a twelve year old girl that is, hidden from view.

"And what do I do when someone saw that?" Naruto inquired, her voice finally matching her gender. "These changes are not restricted to this place, you know!"

"**I know, but you seem to forget that that second fur of yours isn't exactly skin tight and your bangs are hiding your face just fine." **The demon sat down eyeing the female in front of him with pride. **"Besides they will just think that it is your **_**Oiroke no Jutsu**_** and assume that you are playing a prank again." **

"I guess you are right, thought Project 'Hokage Mountain make-over' was supposed to be my last prank, my masterpiece, well my last prank that could be tracked back to me at least."

"**Sure, but those useless ningen don't know that, now do they?" **Kyuubi mused, a dreamy expression entered his features and a contend sight escaped him. "**Besides I preferred the pranks you played on Konoha's 'royalty'. Do you remember when you dyed all of the clothes of the Hyuuga main branch orange? Or the time where you changed the red in each and every Uchiha clan symbol to hot pink?" **

"Oh yeah!" Naruto exclaimed with a wide grin. "That were the good old days! Thought they never realised that I did it for their own good…"

"**For their own good?" **Kyuubi asked with a raised eyebrow and more than a spark of interested in his voice. **"You mean you didn't do it simply because they were stuck up assholes that needed to be knocked down a few pegs?"**

Naruto snorted, rolling her eyes. "That was one of the reasons… don't look at me like that Kyuubi… well fine that was the main reason, but all pranks had a deeper meaning!" Suddenly a more serious look entered her eyes. "It was to show them how bad their security really was… I mean if I could sneak in that easily, any Jonin worth their pay could do it also!"

"**True," **Kyuubi admitted thoughtful. **"Never looked at it that way, probably had too much fun watching them freaking out… But they never realised it either."**

"No, they didn't and look where it got them!" Naruto sighed shaking her head gently as if she still couldn't believe their stupidity. "Hinata-chan was nearly kidnapped, Hizashi-san lost his live in the political aftermath and the Uchiha are nearly extinct. All because they were too prideful to admit the obvious fact that the 'demon child' was able to outsmart them and evade their security!"

Kyuubi blinked a few times then a smirk appeared on his muzzle. **"You are more like me, or every other demon fox for that matter, than even this idiot villagers accuse you to be, my sly little kitten." **

"Thanks I guess, now is only left to decide if that is a good thing or not…"

"**True,"** the kitsune Lord mused. **"But that is a matter of perspective, I guess. Thought you are the embodiment of everything that makes a kitsune. I can't wait till you hit puberty fully…"**

"Ero kitsune," Naruto growled, crossing her arms over her chest with a glare in the leering kitsune's direction. "I may be cunning, gifted in shape shifting, love pranks and am fairly good looking, but I am no urge driven vixen!"

"**Not yet at least,"** the fox muttered under his breath, innocently swaying his tails. Naruto on the other hand shook her head on the antics of the great Lord, choosing to ignore him and not to comment.

"Well back to topic. You do know why I am here, right?"

"**I have my suspicions, how could I not? That council is so predictable that it isn't even funny anymore," **Kyuubi chuckled, despite his own words. **"Let me hazard a guess. You used my youki against Shukaku-teme, they found out somehow and are now out for blood. Your blood to be exact. Does that sum it up?"**

"Yeah, that sums it up quite nicely, thought the method through they hope to achieve their goal is interesting for a change, to say the least."

"**Really?" **Kyuubi asked surprised. **"That really would be something new… No ROOT agent that tries to dispose of you secretly?"**

"No," Naruto answered, shaking her head. "They are trying to hire Sesshomaru to do it this time around…"

"**Are you serious?"** Kyuubi inquired to make sure that he heard not wrong. When he saw Naruto nod and her serious expression he couldn't hold back his laughter. **"That is too good to be true!"**

"Hmpf, I received or rather found a letter addressed to Sesshomaru in the mission assignment room. The, and I quote, 'High council of Konohagakure no Sato granted you an audience-' blah blah blah. I didn't even know that I asked for an 'audience'!"

Kyuubie chuckled slightly but Naruto continued. "You are chuckling and haven't even heard the best part yet, the part where they 'grant me the great honor to carry out a mission for the good of the village' that was a quote too."

This time the fox Lord couldn't handle it anymore and broke out in full-blown laughter. Only the fact that he was the Lord of the bijou and had to hold up appearance stopped him from rolling around on the floor. **"Sweet Kami, they are so full of themselves," **he managed to choke out between laughs. **"If only they knew!"**

"Good thing they don't and I intend to keep it that way," Naruto growled.

"**Yeah, that's probably for the best", **agreed Kyuubi slowly calming down. **"Did they mention what that 'mission for the good of the village' contains?"**

"No, they probably feared that someone might get curios that wasn't Sesshomaru and opened the scroll," Naruto mused, tipping her index finger against her chin. "Considering that we are in a shinobi village that fear isn't so farfetched, really. Even thought they suck horribly in looking underneath the underneath, like Kakashi-sensei would put it."

"**How true," **Kyuubi muttered in agreement. **"But why are you coming to me with this?"**

"I don't know what to do," the blond admitted. "I have very limited options and none are very appealing. Either Sesshomaru doesn't show up altogether which would surely result in ROOT shinobi coming after both of my identities or Sesshomaru accepts the mission and the 'Kyuubi-gaki' has to 'die'."

"**There's another option, you know!" **Kyuubi remarked.

"Yeah, but I don't want Naruto to become a nuke-nin either. It would only prove them all right and everything I worked so hard to achieve would have been in vain." Naruto balled her hands into fists shaking with anger at her helplessness. "Besides if I went rogue it would be like giving every last Kyuubi-brat hater a personal invitation to come after me."

Kyuubi snorted, his tails swaying softly behind him.

"**As if they would be able to capture **_**you **_**of all people, you are a master of Hensōjutsu (disguise and impersonation), Shinobi-iri (stealth and entering methods) and Intonjutsu (escaping and concealment)."**

"Yeah, but that sadly does not mean that I am invincible," Naruto argued. "Sure I'd kick any Chunin's ass hands down in face-to-face combat but a Jonin? Nah, not jet anyways."

"**You're probably right," **Kyuubi agreed. **"We focused in your training on the finer arts of being a ninja so far. Not big, flashy attacks that could level almost anything with one strike."** He stood up and paced from left to right, tails swinging in every direction. Sometimes Naruto wondered if the tails had a mind of their own since she had never seen them even brush each other.

"**Good thing that that was not what I had in mind,"** Kyuubi continued.

Naruto relaxed her balled fists and raised a delicate eyebrow. "Then what had you in mind? If you don't mind me asking that is."

"**Not at all,"** the demon purred. He stopped his pacing, turned his head to Naruto and smirked. **"You see I had a combination of two of your options in mind."**

"And that would be?"

"**Well…,"** Kyuubi drawled. **"'Naruto' has to die and 'Sesshomaru' has to leave. Simple as that."**

"Could it be that you did not listen to me, like two minutes ago, because I was sure I said that I didn't want to leave!"

"**Oh, I heard you, all right,"** Kyuubi replied calmly absolutely unfazed with her screaming**. "Sadly there is no way around that. If Sesshomaru doesn't take the mission, somebody else surely will. And Naruto can't magically avoid every attack without them getting suspicious." **Kyuubi searched Naruto's face, especially her eyes, for a reaction. What he saw didn't please him at all. An array of motions flashed over her face: anger, betrayal, even fear. She looked defeated with her head bowed, eyes downcast. A look that was not meant for her, everyone but her.

"I have to admit that my heart isn't into it, but I have to consider that it is most likely for the best," Naruto spoke, eyes full of unshed tears barely held back. "I would be able to finally train without fearing that somebody would stumble upon me, I could finally start on higher class ninjutsu and youki training."

"**Yes," **Kyuubi confirmed, getting as close to her as the bars would allow. **"You could help people like you did in Nami no Kuni. And someday you could even return here, I'm sure." **He carefully wrapped his tails around her, hugging her to his furry chest. That was all that it took for Naruto to crack. She clutched his fur in an almost desperate hold, sobbing quietly. **"Hopefully Konoha will then no longer be ruled by old uptight bastards who can not see the difference between a demon Lord and an angel. Naruto this is not farewell forever, only for now." **Kyuubi placed his head on her shoulder and let her cry into his fur. It was an uncomfortable situation for the demon. He was a being of destruction, the embodiment of inferno, but when he made the decision to adopt her as his own a few years back he accepted that things like this would be his duty too. It was no longer only the seal on Naruto's belly that connected them, it was something much deeper, a connection forged by an ancient ritual that Kyuubi nearly cost his existence.

Sure, Kyuubi the great Lord of all demons was still a monster hell-bent on destruction, but even the most terrifying and murderous being had a soft spot. For Kyuubi it just so happened to be his prison.

Kyuubi chuckled in his own head. _**"I remember it now… at first I thought it was the Stockholm syndrome, sympathising with my jailor but then, as I watched her live, 'feeling' what she felt, watching her get up every time somebody pushed her down… It was then that I realised something… something very important…" **_He leaned his head against hers, tightening his hold once more. "_**That realisation ultimately saved my existence. How ironic…"**_

"Thank you Kyuubi tou-san," Naruto mumbled into his fur but the kitsune's sharp ears were able to pick it up none the less. Naruto reluctantly loosened her grip on him and he did the same. She wiped her eyes and smiled at him. "At least I get to see the world, meet new people and learn new things… but I will come back." Her smile went suddenly from happy to downright evil. "Even if it is only to rub it in their faces that I am then the greatest Shinobi in the world! Even greater than the Sandaime or Yondaime!" Naruto proclaimed seriously.

"**Sure kitten,"** Kyuubi agreed, slightly shivering. **"But could you first stop smiling like that? You are scaring me. ME! That is just a tad bit disturbing…"**

"Now you are exaggerating…"

"**Maybe, but it does not change the fact that the evil side is not your thing. You better remain in the light."**

"Says the one who should be trying to convince me to join him on the dark path."

"While that is true it wouldn't be worth it…," Kyuubi answered, waving one of his paws in dismissal. "You would give the dark side a bad image."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked dangerously low.

"**Oh, nothing…. Nothing at all."**

Both realised that their argument was absolutely pointless, but it lightened the mood and that was all that counted for the moment. Thought the following uncomfortable silence wasn't helpful at all.

"**So," **Kyuubi began once again. **"When is that council meeting supposed to take place?" **He hated that he had to asked that question, but they had to organise a few things before then.

"Sundown," was all that she said.

"**Well, then we should get started,"** Kyuubi exclaimed in a horrible cheerful voice. **"When you are outside again make a few Kagebunshin and henge them into different people. Then send them to make a few errands. We need food for the journey and extra weapons." **

"Hai, but were should we go?" Naruto asked curiously.

"**Hm…Tanzaku Gai would be a good stop," **Kyuubi replied thoughtfully after a few moments**. "We need money for the journey and since you never took the money for the missions you undertook as Sesshomaru we are currently a little shorthanded, besides with your luck the fastest and easiest way to get a large sum of money is in a gambling hall." **

Naruto tapped her chin apparently deep in thought. "That's not such a bad idea, I heard they have this amazing castle that I always wanted to see… Well then that's settled, Tanzaku Gai it is!"

Without another word Naruto faded out of existence, meaning that she had left the seal. Kyuubi sighted deeply, closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. Even thought Naruto seemed happy again as she left, he knew deep down she was not. She played the role of the happy-go-lucky idiot for so long that it came almost naturally to her. She masked her emotions better than any ANBU, but that didn't mean that that was a good thing. Maybe leaving Konoha would permit to heal her broken heart somewhat, because finally the real Naruto would be able to show herself without having to fear what others might say or do.

"_**Someday this idiots will regret what they've done,"**_ Kyuubi thought, gritting his sharp teeth as he watched the beautiful forest turning once again into a dark sewer. "_**Someday Narutos true heritage will be revealed, thought I wonder how Naruto will react when the truth is revealed to her… I really hope that it won't crush her completely…"**_

"Stupid council," Naruto cursed under her breath, her eyes fluttering open. She scowled in annoyance reapplying her special henge. Slowly she rose to her feet, eyes travelling to the village below her and she could feel her heart clench. This would be the last time she would see the village, her home, in a very long time. Despite everything she still loved Konoha with all her heart and would do anything for it and its inhabitants. Even leave.

"Will somebody miss me?" The blond whispered into the wind, sadness evident in her voice. "Anybody?" The wind suddenly picked up, gentle blowing around her. Without thinking Naruto leaned into the caress enjoying the feeling of the warm air on her skin. Spreading her arms and letting her orange jacket flutter in the wind, she looked into the sky. It was still blue and the sun still shone brightly, but one could hear rumbling in the distance. In more than one way was the calm before the storm about to end.

**TBC**

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**Translations:**

hai-yes

gaki-brat

kitsune- fox

tou-san- father

ningen - human

nuke-nin -rogue ninja

Sesshomaru- graceful/perfect killing

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**Author's Note:**

**INFO ON KITSUNE**

Stories tell of kitsune playing tricks on overly proud samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful commoners.

Other common goals of trickster kitsune include seduction, theft of food, humiliation of the prideful, or vengeance for a perceived slight.

Kitsune keep their promises and strive to repay any favor.

See ya next time an please **review!**


	2. Chapter 2: Divided Council

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does.

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_None

* * *

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Chapter 2. Divided Council

Sesshomaru stood before the great council of Konoha, meaning she faced not only the elders and clan heads, but the civilian part as well. The desks were positioned in a semi-circle. The stool in the middle was bigger than the rest and clearly reserved for the Hokage. On the right side sat the three elders and the eight clan heads while the eight civilians sat on the left of that stool. The semi-circle enclosed a vast space were those stood that reported to the council. That was where Sesshomaru stood at the moment, clad almost completely in black. She wore a black corset with orange cups and black fishnet from the cups to her neck for more support. Over it she wore a belly free jacket with orange seam and black open palm hand-guards, held in place by an orange band around her wrists.

Black hot-pants, a back hip-pouch and black over-the-knee boots with orange ornaments from the heel to the top completed her outfit. To conceal her identity she wore a black canine like mask with slits for eyes and a bushy silver mane that went down her back.

Maybe the orange was a little giveaway, but Naruto completed missions for Konoha under the identity of Sesshomaru since she was seven and not even the Sandaime, 'the professor' and 'god of shinobi', had suspected anything. Honestly, who would make a connection between Konoha's number one most knuckleheaded ninja, who was the dead last of his academy class and a notorious prankster and the fearsome kunoichi who was nicknamed 'Killing Perfection' for not once failing a mission. True she always 'choose' the missions she completed, sneaking undetected into the Hokage Tower, which varied from C to S class missions, but they all had one thing in common. They were never what they appeared to be and problems that normal ninja would struggle to solve arose left and right like they did in Nami no Kuni.

Judging from the expressions on the councillors faces they were pleased that they had managed to get her to come to the meeting since all previous attempts to get directly in contact with her were pointless. Till this day nobody ever got a good look at Sesshomaru, so it was not a surprise that she was stared at like an exotic animal in a zoo. While the civilians whispered excitedly with each other and occasionally pointed at her, the shinobi were more subtle, analysing every centimetre of her body, her posture, her chakra capacity and what not.

After nearly ten minutes of being starred at Sesshomaru almost had enough and was beginning to contemplate to do something drastic, when Mitokado Homura suddenly stood up. Immediately silence prevailed and all eyes were on him.

"Good evening honorable council members, let us start our meeting," the old man welcomed and sat back down next to his old team-mate Utatane Koharu.

He had hardly time to do so when Danzo raised his voice and addressed Naruto. "I assume that you are Sesshomaru?"

He was the elder she liked the least. His little Ne agents tried once too often to capture her using… questionable methods. So it wasn't really surprising when he was only met with silence.

Thought the council seemed to think that her muteness was a sign of approval, because Koharu addressed her neglecting that she hasn't answered jet.

"Do you know why we asked you to come here?" She asked, her old eyes boring into Sesshomarus or where she thought that they would be under the mask.

"Even if she does know why she is here," Hyuga Hiashi interrupted in a sharp voice. "I don't. And I don't like it."

"Well she's here to ride us of our… little foxy problem," Homura worded carefully.

Naruto was genuine surprised when she saw the Hyuga head scowl and he wasn't the only one.

"_Could it be that the vote to get ride of the 'demon boy' wasn't unanimously?"_ Naruto wondered.

She was even more surprised when the alpha of the Inuzuka clan brought her fist down, radiating killing intent.

The civilians froze immediately while the shinobi were hardly affected, but all eyes were on her nonetheless.

"How could you actually go through with it!" Tsume hollered, shaking in anger. "Ordering the death of one of our own pack that didn't even do anything wrong is … I can't even find words to describe how low that is!!"

"Lower your voice, girl," Koharu scolded. "And what do you mean he didn't do anything wrong? He let the Kyuubi's youki roam free and-"

"And saved us all in doing so," Aburame Shibi finished calmly for her. "The losses we suffered in this blitzkrieg would have been much higher, as well as the damage inflicted on the village, had he not stopped the Ichibi no Shukaku."

A small smile appeared on Sesshomarus lips as she watched all clan heads nod in agreement.

"_So, I was right, not everyone is against me," _Naruto thought. _"It will not change anything, but it feels damn good."_

"That may be true," Danzo stated coldly. "But I would rather deal with the _Ichi_bi than the _Kyuu_bi! When the seal break-"

"Have you no faith in Yondaime-sama?" The lazy Nara snarled, who normally found it too troublesome to get angry. "He was the best-"

"He was no GOD!" Danzo countered a little louder than before, but still with an unreadable expression on his face.

"But Shinigami-sama is!!" Yamanaka Inoichi reminded , covering Shikaku's back. "The seal-"

"Was still made by a _human,_" Homura interrupted . "And frankly humans are not infallible. All the power in the world means nothing when you don't know how to use it properly!"

A collective grasp could be heard and the killing intend rose to a new level.

"Are you insinuating, " Hiashi asked in a dangerously quiet voice and through gritted teeth, "that Yondaime-sama did not know what he did when he saved us all?"

Homura opened his mouth to retort, but Koharu was faster.

"That is quite enough!" The aged woman growled, flaring her own killing intent. "While I'm sure that the honorable councillor Homura did not mean any disrespect to Yondaime-sama, I will have order in this meeting so that we can discuss this like the civilised people that we are."

"_Yeah, right," _Sesshomaru thought, repressing a snort.

"But we already discussed the whole matter last time!" One of the civilians complained, still sweating from all the released killing intent. "Nine god damn hours! The vote clearly showed…"

"Fuck the vote!!" Tsume screamed enraged. "Some of us weren't even there!"

"The vote was still valid since the majority **was **there," another civilian objected. "It is not our problem when you fail to appear to an important meeting."

"Failed to APPEAR!!!" Tsume hollered on top of her voice. She tried to flank over her desk to strangle the bastard were he sat, but Inoichi and Choza were fast enough to hold her back. "You assholes didn't even send a message!! Simply because you feared that we could outvote you!"

"That is an interesting theory," Shibi stated, pushing up his black sunglasses. "The shinobi, the three elders and the Hokage all have two votes each while the civilians only have one each, so even with the support of the elders you would have still lost 14 to 16. But since Tsume-san, Chouza-san and Shikaku-san weren't present at the time of the vote you won." He levelled the civilians with a scrutinising look, even thought they could not see his eyes, but they could feel his stare on them and they squirmed a little in their seats. "But it is strange, thought," Shibi continued . "Those whose children have a closer contact with the boy were absent…"

"That is a malevolent defamation!" A female civilian screeched, earning her nods of approval from her fellows. "You can't prove your ridiculous assumptions!"

"No, I can't," Tsume growled, baring her teeth. "And pray to kami that I'm never able to do so, or so help me, you'll wish for Kyuubi to come back!!"

"Are you threatening us?" Homura inquired dangerously calm.

A sweet smile appeared on Tsume's face, too sweet to mean anything good, apparently pleased that he registered that fact so fast. "Yes, indeed I am. The boy _never _did anything wrong, besides playing pranks maybe, but he never injured anyone. There is no reason to believe that the seal is breaking, for all we know it could be intended for the boy to use the Kyuubis youki, and he did so with the best intentions for his village."

"Than he shouldn't have anything against dying for the good of the village," a stubborn civilian persisted .

And only the fact that Choza and Inoichi had Tsume still in their grip saved the civilian from possible death and guaranteed mutilation. Said villager was currently shaking in fear with eyes as big as dinner plates.

"FOR THE GOOD OF THE VILLAGE!!" The Inuzuka matriarch screamed enraged, fiercely but fruitlessly trying to free herself. "YOU HARTLESS BASTARD!!"

"Tsume," Choza warned, shaking his head.

"I'm not finished jet, Choza!" Tsume growled , before glaring back at the offending civilian. "WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF I WOULD ASK YOU TO SACRIFICE YOUR LITTLE DAUGHTERS LIFE FOR **THE GOOD OF THE VILLAGE?! **WERE DO YOU THINK WE ARE? **KIRIGAKURE?!**"

"His daughter poses no threat to the village," Danzo remarked calmly, unfazed by her outburst.

"True, but there is no evidence that Uzumaki Naruto does," Shikaku countered.

"No, but I got reports that state that a criminal organization composed of S-class nuke-nin are searching for the Bijou." Danzo paused a moment to let the new info sink in, that he so generously shared. "Uzumaki is one of them and they could attack the village in search for him."

Hiashi snorted, levelling Danzo with a cold look. "First of all, Uzumaki is not the Bijou, but a Jinchuriki, which I might add, is a difference. Secondly is to ask where you obtained such information, for all we knew you could have made it up on the spot," he raised his hand to prevent Danzo from retorting, who had opened his mouth, "and thirdly even if there is an organization that could attack Konoha to get the boy it is highly unlikely that they would do it."

"Hiashi-san is right," Shibi stated, pushing up his sunglasses again. "It is more likely that they would attack on a mission where he would be highly vulnerable and far from back up."

"Hmpf," Tsume made, slowly calming down once again. "Besides if you try to justify an execution with the possibility that an organization of some kind could attack Konoha, than I have to ask if we are going to execute almost all of our Jonin as well? Because I know quite a few that have whole Villages after their heads and I deem a whole ninja village more of a danger than a few criminals, even if they are S-class!"

One could practically see the steam coming out of Danzo's ears. Not surprising, thought, since his arguments were ripped into pieces before he even could close his mouth fully.

"It is obvious that we can not convince you to see how dire the situation really is, but-," Homura started, trying to conclude the discussion and move on to the mission assignment, but he was once again interrupted.

"Dire situation?" Inoichi repeated with narrowed eyes, letting go of Tsume. "Bullshit." Indignant gasps could be heard, but the civilians were too afraid by now to say anything, not that Inoichi would have cared. "You are doing it now, because it is the only chance you will get in a very long time. Sandaime-sama, who always protected the boy, is gone and since he has not elected a successor this council holds all the power till one is found. And since the candidate for Hokage, Jiraiya-sama, is also fond of the boy and would not in one hundred years sign the death warrant, you had no other choice than push the matter now!"

"_Ero-sennin as Hokage?!," _thought Sesshomaru. "_Kami have mercy! The old perv would probably turn the hot springs into unisex baths so that he could peep without hiding in a tree or, even worse, use the crystal ball!"_

Sesshomaru couldn't repress the shudder that went down her spine as the thought, what the self-proclaimed super pervert could do as Hokage, fully sank in. Not that Jiraiya was a bad man, but he was simply no Hokage material, ever!

A sudden bang brought her back to reality. Homura's fist had collided forcefully with the desk, leaving a crack in the wood. "Are you implying that we are abusing our current power?"

"Yes, that is exactly what we are trying to say the whole time,"Hiashi confirmed. "Glad you finally caught on to that fact. We, as the council, were instated to help the Hokage govern the village and help the village prosper. What you are doing right now goes against everything the council should stand for, everything the previous Hokage stand for and, what is even worse, everything Konohagakure stands for." Sighting deeply and shaking his head in defeat he stood up. "I can not stop you, however I want no part in this, good evening my fellow councillors," Hiashi concluded bitterly. Nearly as one the other clan heads stood up as well, joining Hiashi on his way out of the council chamber.

Naruto watched with a strange warm feeling in her chest as the heads oft the Hyuga, Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka, Aburame, Sarutobi, Kurama and Inuzuka clans marched out of the door. Thought Tsume Inuzuka remained a few moments longer.

She levelled a heated glare at the remaining members. "Know that you are directly opposing the Third and Forth Hokage with your little plan. So don't even think about to come crying to us when this whole affair comes back to bite you in the ass." Whit that, and an indefinable look in Sesshomarus direction, she left, slamming the doors shut behind her. The resulting bang resounded off the walls and was the only noise heard for quite some time.

"How dare they!" Homura seethed, regaining his speech the fastest.

"Calm down," Koharu said . She placed a hand on her old team mates shoulder, shaking her head slightly. "We have more dire matters to attend to right now." She looked pointedly in Sesshomaru's direction. Who seemed, up until now, almost forgotten.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Let's continue."

"I am sorry you had to witness this, Sesshomaru-san." Koharu addressed the unmoving figure of the disguised Naruto. "But as you can see this is an difficult and much discussed decision."

"_That is one way to put it," _thought Naruto but did not react otherwise.

"Let us stop this chit-chat and come directly to the point," Danzo growled, finally reaching the end of his patience. "Will you or will you not take the mission?"

All eyes were on Sesshomaru again, starring at her expectantly.

"I will do as you wish," Sesshomaru agreed after a moment of hesitation. Immediately a good part of the tension, that had lingered in the air, left the room.

"However," Sesshomaru continued, earning herself a few sharp intakes of breath. "I want something in return."

The councillors breathed out in relief.

"Name the sum and I am sure that we can cover it, as long as it is in reasonable boundaries, of course," one of the civilians assured.

"I do not want your money, I never took payment from Sandaime-sama and I will not start now," Sesshomaru said, her voice anything but warm. "What I want is reassurance. That… display only minutes ago shows that even the council is divided concerning how to proceed in this matter. I do not wish to be involved in a political war or even worse a civil war."

"Understandably," Koharu replied . She interlaced her fingers and rested her chin on them before she continued. "Then what is it that you wish for?"

Sesshomaru tilted her head to one side, grinning under her mask. She had them where she wanted them.

"I listened carefully to your discussion earlier," the blond remarked. "I know my target and I also know that he is a shinobi of Konoha. If I attack and kill him it can and most likely will be considered as treason."

"Then we take him of the roster," a civilian suggested, but Sesshomaru shook her head.

"That is not enough. He would still be a member of this village and the outcome would be the same."

"Then arrange a little accident," another suggested lapidary.

This time it was not Sesshomaru who disagreed, but the tree head elders. They snorted as one, shaking their heads angrily. "Shinobi don't have accidents you fool," Danzo snapped, clearly offended. "Not even failures like that brat."

"True," Homura confirmed with Koharu nodding almost frantically. "If it was that easy we wouldn't need Sesshomaru-san."

He glanced in Danzos direction out of the corner of his eyes and that was enough for Sesshomaru to confirm her suspicions.

"_So at least Homura has knowledge of the attempts on my live," _the blond thought . That did not really surprise her for some reason . _"And when Homura is clued in, then it is almost certain that Koharu knows as well…"_

"Then tell us, Sesshomaru-san, what have you in mind?" Koharu asked, ending the argument. "I'm sure you had something in mind when you asked for reassurance?"

"Indeed," Sesshomaru replied. She reached for her hip-pouch, noted with satisfaction that the councillors tensed up, and took a small scroll out of it. With the grace of a predator Sesshomaru moved forward and placed it on the desk before the old woman. Koharu waited till Sesshomaru had reclaimed her former position before reaching out and taking the scroll. With versed movements opened Koharu the scroll and scanned its content.

Frowning she lowered it back onto the desk, raising her head in the process to look at Sesshomaru. "Are you serious, girl?"

"Very," the blond replied coolly. "Essentially you want me to… dispose of a certificated Konoha shinobi, even if it is only a genin. You saw the reaction of the clan heads, your fellow council members I might add, and frankly your word that no one will come after me is not satisfactory in the least. Besides you will not always be on this council, sooner or later you will have to retire and once that happens my life will be forfeit."

"Understandable," Homura agreed, who had snatched the scroll while Sesshomaru talked, read it, and passed it on to Danzo. "But what I don't understand is the sentence 'The holder of this scroll and associates…'?"

"Shinku Shikyo." That was all he got as a reply, but it was enough. Sesshomaru could smell the fear in the chamber, that was created by only mentioning the name, and smiled sadistically. Like herself her old partner had earned his nickname. If the council singed that scroll it would be worth more than all the money in the world.

"I will not sign this," the old war hawk growled, slamming the paper onto the desk before him. "This is practically a licence to do anything she wants!"

"True," Sesshomaru agreed, shrugging her shoulders casually. "But would you've rather there stood a sentence like 'execution of Uzumaki Naruto'? If _that _ever gets into the wrong hands…," she let the councillors end the sentence in their heads themselves, certain that it would not come to a favorable conclusion.

"No, that would not be desirable," Homura agreed finally, massaging his temples. "But Danzo-san is right, nonetheless. With this," he gesticulated to the small scroll, "every crime against Konoha could be justified and that is not an option. This honorable council can not bring itself into a position where it is backed into a corner and open to blackmail."

The civilians watched the argument with interest but choose to remain silent. The head elders would solve the problem in the end, they were sure, even thought they didn't exactly know what this was about, since they did not get the scroll jet. Agitated they watched as Sesshomaru started to chuckle.

"Oh, is that so?" The bemused blond asked. "Well, then I almost regret to inform you that that already happened."

"What are you impl…," a confused Homura started to ask, but a sharp intake of breath from Koharu made him stop abruptly. He turning his head to her in concern.

"The clan heads," his old team mate breathed, horror written all over her wrinkly face.

"Exactly," Sesshomaru confirmed, grinning broadly under her mask.

"I don't understand," Homura said, still confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Simple," Koharu replied almost growling. "We already are in her hand and that is alone the fault of the clan heads. If Sesshomaru-san would go to, lets say the Daimyo, no one would believe her without this scroll singed by us…"

"Yes, that is why I am not willing to sign it in the first place," Danzo answered, never once taking his eyes of off Sesshomaru.

"True, only that she does not need the signed scroll. The clan heads were right in one point, namely that we operate on thin ice that could break at any moment and swallow us whole. We are ordering the execution of a Konoha shinobi without proper reason after all, even if we do it for the best of the village." She sighed deeply before she continued, eyes starring into nothingness. "The clan heads are bound to silence by their pledge of secrecy, but she is not. True, the Daimyo would not believe her claim without evidence, but he would listen to her since Sandaime-sama trusted her. Then he would revoke the pledge of secrecy that kept the mouths of the clan heads shut and that would be… game over."

Dead silence.

Homura's eyes widened till they had the size of dinner plates and even the normally emotionless Danzo looked like he had bitten in something really sour, while every last civilian looked horrified with their yaws wide open.

Sesshomaru could barely restrain herself from laughing out loud.

"That's nice," Danzo began, regaining his speech the fastest, "but we don't have to let it come to that. We have another option left." He smirked evilly at her. "We could simply kill her here and now and find someone else to do our bidding. Problem solved."

"That would be a possibility," the blond admitted, shrugging again. "But there are two little flaws that I can't help but point out. The first flaw would be that you would have to find someone else that is willing to help and is actually able to go through with it, preferably undetected and I can tell you that that will not be easy. His sensei's, after all, are the famous copy-nin Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya of the sannin…" Sesshomaru paused a moments to let her words fully sink in. "Then there is Kyuubi itself. I doubt that it will let his lifeline die so easily, now that it has gained more influence and possibly a way to escape." Sesshomaru paused again and noted that the councillors were practically attached to her lips. "The second flaw would be that you'd have to catch me first, before you could end my life."

"There are ANBU outside that door, girl," Danzo remarked, still unfazed by her enumeration. He operated out of the shadows under the very nose of the Third and later the Fourth Hokage for quit a few decades and knew how to conceal his actions, the one that could outsmart him had yet to be born. "I'm sure a whole squat is more than capable of handling you."

"Sure, but they would have to find me first, thought," the blonde chuckled, "since I'm only a clone…"

Silence followed that statement. Danzo opened his mouth a few times, but closed it every time till he settled for a hearty laugh, maybe the one to outsmart him was already born. Needles to say that a laughing Danzo freaked the assembled people out completely.

"I like you, girl," Danzo said in a tone that send shivers up and down Sesshomaru's spine. "You are exactly my type of Kunoichi. Cunning, underhanded and good at it. I'll sign the scroll under one condition."

"Shoot."

"I want you out of Konoha, permanently. Do the job and leave in the same hour."

Sesshomaru grinned, there went her problem to find a reason to leave the village. Sure, Danzo was certainly planning something, but she could deal with anything he could possibly throw at her.

"Deal," Sesshomaru accepted.

With a nod Danzo accepted as well and signed the scroll in blood before he held it out to Homura who took it reluctantly.

"Fine," he growled, signing as well before passing it to Koharu. "But you better make sure that the little pest is gone by tomorrow."

"If you ever use this scroll to blackmail us, then your life will be forfeit," Koharu added, glaring at Sesshomaru. "Wherever you may be, remember that well."

One after the other the councillors signed the scroll, before it was passed back to the head elders table. Sesshomaru stepped forward and took the scroll, scanning the names. Satisfied she made a few quick hand-signs and slammed her palm on the ground before her. A big green and red scroll poofed into existence. Taking out a little glass-bottle filled with a red liquid she uncorked it and smeared the blood on a hidden seal. Immediately the sealing scroll clicked open and unrolled itself. Sesshomaru kneeled down, placed the smaller scroll on a blank spot of the otherwise narrowly inscribed sealing scroll. After a few hand signs black seals flashed into existence and vanished mere moments later along with the smaller scroll, leaving only a small circle of black seals to mark its place. Satisfied Sesshomaru snapped her fingers and watched the sealing scroll roll itself up again and then vanish too. After that she looked back up to the council.

"Consider your little 'problem' as solved," Sesshomaru declared in a chilling tone, a dark aura surrounding her. "I'll take care of it, you won't have to see the _boy _ever again."

With that she dispelled herself, proving without a doubt that she did not lie when she said that she was only a clone.

**TBC**

* * *

**Translation:**

Ne - root

Kunoichi- female Ninja

Nami no Kuni - Land of waves

Shinku Shikyo - deep crimson death

Kirigakure - Hidden mist (the ones with the bloody graduation exam and bloodline purification)

* * *

**Author's Note:** And that was the second chapter. In the third chapter Naruto finally leaves with, admittedly, unplanned but still welcomed company and a little present for Konoha. But I doubt that they are going to like it…

See ya next time an please **review!**


	3. Chapter 3: Bloody Farewell

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does.

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_lots of blood (sorry no fighting yet, but I plan it for the next chapter) and Sasuke/Sakura/Naruto in the nude (but not in that way…)

hmm… did I forget something? Well even if I did, it is M for a reason…

* * *

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Chapter 3. Bloody Farewell

It rained heavily, something that was unusual for the village, considering that Konoha was situated in Hi no Kuni and it was summer. Lightning flashed, lighting the sky for brief moments, closely followed by thunder. In other words the perfect surrounding for the 'death' of a heroine that was never regarded as such. Betrayed by those she swore to protect. 'Killed' by the closest person she had. Herself.

If Naruto was into things like fate and such, she would almost be tempted to think that someone high up there was pretty pissed of right about now, but of course she wasn't.

The times were she sat lonely at night in her bed, praying that her mommy and daddy would come and get her soon, were long gone. They never came and with time faded her hope that they ever would. Every time she watched children with their parents her heart clenched painfully. She knew that she must have had parents at some point since children don't fall from the sky, so she began to wonder… Why did they leave her? Wasn't she wanted? Or were they dead?

When she asked for her parents the answer was always the same: 'You are an orphan, you have no parents'. And with time she simply stopped to ask. But it never stopped to hurt.

Naruto closed her eyes, fighting the flood of memories back that tried to drown her. It wasn't the time nor the place to get melancholic.

With a deep sight Sesshomaru opened the window of the small, untidy apartment, her apartment. For the last time she slipped out of it and jumped into the dark, empty streets below. The clone she had send to the council meeting had transmitted its knowledge to her minutes ago. Sesshomaru was pleased with the outcome to say the least, every piece was in place and the party could finally get started. She was about to heed over to the Hokage Monument when she felt it. Two chakra-signatures she knew almost like her own and they were not far from her. Sesshomaru paused for a moment, sentimental thoughts filling her head, thoughts that she had suppressed up until now.

"_One last time," _she thought. _"I can see them one last time. My team, my friends…"_

Without a second thought she heeded into the opposite direction, the direction of the main gate. Like a shadow she ran through the rain, putting chakra to her feet to make no noise on the wet, with puddles strewn, ground. Within minutes Sesshomaru reached the location, hiding herself in the trees she got within watching and hearing range.

She watched as Sasuke halted a few steps away from Sakura, hand buried deep into his pockets, eyes downcast. Naruto wondered briefly why Sasuke had a backpack on his back when he addressed Sakura.

"Why are you prowling around here in the middle of the night?" He asked in a cold voice.

"I knew you'd come this way… when you were to leave…," Sakura answered quietly shocking Naruto to the core. "So I just waited here."

"_What the hell does she mean 'when you were to leave'?, _wondered Naruto. _"What is going on…?"_

"Get out of here… and go back to sleep," Sasuke growled as he stepped around her and slowly continued on his path.

Naruto watched with a heavy heart as Sakura started crying, her tears mixing with the rain.

Turning her head slightly into his direction, Sakura spoke again fighting with the tears that continued rolling down her face. "Why won't you say anything to me?" She asked. "Why do you always keep so quiet? You never say a single word to me…?"

Sasuke had stopped, but did not turn around as he replied to her questions in a chilling tone. "I told you: I don't need your help. Don't try to look after me."

For a few moment silence prevailed only interrupted by thunder.

"No matter what, you just always hate me, don't you…" Sakura's voice sounded so sad as she said that. She turned fully around to face him, eyes downcast. "You remember, don't you? When we became Genin, the day when our three-man team was first decided… The first time we where here by ourselves, you were so mad at me…"

They were silent again, most likely buried deep in memories.

"_She must be talking about the day I impersonated Sasuke…," _Naruto thought. _"They must have met after I…was forced to leave…"_

"I don't remember that," Sasuke stated finally, practically stabbing Sakura's heart with a knife. Her eyes widened in shock, her tears slowly stopping to flow.

"Hahaha… yeah, I guess you're right…," Sakura replied softly. "It's all in the past, huh?" She got this far away look again, as if she was remembering something. "That's when it all began thought. You and me.. along with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei…"

Sasuke still said nothing so she continued on.

"We did all sorts of missions, just the three of us. It was painful and difficult at times. Even with that thought…I still enjoyed it."

Sakura had finally stopped crying altogether and paused for a moment, but she wasn't finished jet, she had not said everything she wanted to say to him.

"I know all about your past Sasuke. Even if you get revenge thought… It won't bring anyone happiness. Not even you Sasuke…nor me…"

"I already know…," Sasuke began finally. Sakura's head shot up and she stared at the back of his head. "I'm different from you all… I can't be following the same path as you guys… Up until now, we've done everything as a group, but there is something else… I must do…"

Tears welled up again in Sakura's eyes as she heard him say that. "Deep inside my heart, I've already decided on revenge… for that reason only do I live…I'll never be like you or Naruto!"

"Do you really want to go back to being alone?" Sakura asked almost desperately, lifting her arm as if she wanted to reach out to him. "You told me how painful it was to be alone! Right now I know your pain…!! I may have friends and family… but… " She clenched her eyes shut, the tears flowing more freely now as she ended in a whisper. "If you were to leave… to me.. to me… I would be just as alone as you …"

"From here on out… we all begin new paths," Sasuke said.

Sakura began to shake violently, resting her hands above her heart. "I…," Sakura began, then she closed her eyes and nearly shouted what was on her heart for so long. **"I… love you with all my heart!!!"**

She lowered her hand again and look at the back of his head almost desperately. "If you were to stay with me… there would be no regrets… because every day we'd do something fun, we'd be happy… **I swear! **I would do anything for you!!!"

Once again she closed her eyes wishing with all her heart that he would listen. "So… please just stay with me… I'll even help you with your revenge. I don't know what I could do…but I'll try my best to do something…" Sniffing she balled her hands to fists.

"So please… stay with me… or take me with you if you can't stay here," she pleaded, sniffing two more times.

Finally Sasuke turned to her, a strange look on his face. "You really are… annoying."

Naruto watched as Sakura's eyes widened once again, hurt evident in them as Sasuke began to walk away.

"Don't leave!!!" Sakura shouted desperately. "If you do I'll scream!"

In the blink of an eye Sasuke was behind Sakura, startling her.

"Sakura…," he said with closed eyes. "Thank you."

He chopped her neck and Sakura went limp in his arms. That was the signal for Naruto to intervene.

With a silent thud the disguised Naruto landed in front of Sasuke startling him completely. But before he could do anything Naruto reached for her mask, pushing it upwards. Sasuke's eyes widened in a very un-Uchiha-like fashion as he watched, what he thought would be an ANBU send out to capture him, revealing her face to him. A face he knew too good.

"Naruto…?" Sasuke whispered, tightening his grip on the unconscious Sakura.

"I think we need to talk," the blond said in a serious voice, pushing her masked down once again to cover her face. "Are you coming?"

With that said she leaped away, not assuring herself that he followed her. Sasuke hesitated for a moment. He looked to the gate, then to Sakura in his arms and then back to where Naruto had disappeared. His curiosity won in the end and he followed her. Catching up to her he opened his mouth to say something when Naruto forestalled him.

"We need a quiet place, preferably out of the rain."

Sasuke went through all the places he knew that met said requirements. And only one place came to mind. He felt sick by the mere thought of going _there _of all places, but it was the only place that he could think of.

"The old Uchiha District," Sasuke said, closing his eyes for a brief moment. Fighting the forthcoming memories that hunted him still he continued only after forcefully shaking his head to clear his thoughts. "No one will stumble upon us there."

With a short nod of acceptance Naruto changed directions again, following Sasuke to his old home and current scene for his worst nightmares.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination, the clan estate. Handing over Sakura, Sasuke fished out the keys, unlocked the door and let them in. Naruto went inside, searching for a couch to place Sakura upon. Sasuke on the other hand hesitated a moment before he crossed the doorstep, it was years ago that he did that for the last time. Immediately bad memories of the past flooded his mind again, this time paralysing him. Dead body's lining the street, his parents dead on the floor…

But suddenly he was pulled out of his past. Naruto, now without her mask, had placed a hand on his shoulder and was shaking him gently.

"It's ok, Sasuke," Naruto whispered and guided him to the next room. There lay Sakura on a couch that was covered by white plastic foil like every other piece of furniture in the room, most likely like every other piece of furniture in the whole mansion, maybe even district.

Naruto made him sit down in one of the two armchairs.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come here…"

"No, it's ok, dobe," Sasuke answered with a shaky voice, sliding his hand through his wet hair as a means to calm himself. "I'm fine."

"But you don't look fine, teme," Naruto countered, playing along, giving Sasuke the hold that he needed so desperately right now. Unfortunately it were not only his memories of the past that tortured his mind but the **Ten no Juin **seal, that Orochimaru gave him, as well… "Sometimes one has to face the shadows of the past to be able to live in the present, but that does not mean that you have to forgive, not even that you have to forget, however you have to accept to make peace with yourself."

"Nonsense," Sasuke replied, changing the topic. "So tell me… what game is it that you are playing-"

"What game **I** am playing…?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow. "What the hell are you playing at here! I heard what you said to Sakura, I heard everything, teme… Have you finally lost it?"

"You don't know what's going on in my head and it is not your business! You don't know me!!"

"No, it seems that I really don't know you," Naruto admitted, sitting down besides Sakura. "But you don't know me either so don't play high and mighty. Besides it _is_ my business. You are my team-mate and best friend."

"Best friend," Sasuke muttered, Itachi's words sounding clearly in his head. _You can awaken the same Mangekyou Sharingan as me. However there is a requirement. __**You must kill your closest friend**__._

"Sasuke…," Naruto's soft voice broke his stupor freeing him from his flashback. He raised his head, looking directly into Naruto's worried eyes. "I'm not like him… I wont do it."

"So you won't try to kill me to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan, but you want to run to that Snake bastard for power?" Naruto snorted contemptuously. "Sorry, but that logic is above me…"

"Like so much else…," Sasuke muttered and got punched in return.

"Teme!"

But then Sasuke's eyes widened as he registered fully what she had said. "You…"

"Know about the Mangekyou?" The blond finished for her team-mate. "Yes I do. And I want you to listen to me now very carefully." Naruto leaned back, massaging her temples as she sighted deeply. "I am not the idiot everyone thinks I am. I've probably got dirt on every last member of this village, including the late Uchiha clan."

Sasuke opened his mouth, but Naruto shook her head.

"Listen, Sasuke, you must stop hating Itachi, I don't say you should forgive him, that you shouldn't face him, but your hate is going to destroy you. Do you really think that your parents would want that? Your clan?" Naruto's blue eyes drilled into Sasuke's black ones. "If you cut all ties with your friends it comes down to one thing and one thing only… You'll be alone. When you live only for revenge it's going to kill you in the end, because there will be no one who treats your wounds when you extracted your revenge, there will be no place you could go back to. The Uchiha were one of the founding families of Konoha, but if you give into your quest for power, you'll be marked as a nuke-nin. You will dishonor your family and as one of the last Uchiha, who will restore the honor? Who?"

"You don't know what you are talking about," Sasuke hollered suddenly, jumping out of his chair. "You don't have a family, you don't know what it is like to loose them!!"

"No, I don't know what it is like to have a family, but I wish I would. I prayed every night that my parents would come back for me. Every night, for a very long time. Then came Team seven…" Naruto looked at Sakura for a few seconds before her gaze met his again. "You, Sakura and Kakashi-sensei are my family, Sasuke. If you leave for the Snake-creep how do you think I would feel? Sakura told you already and now I will tell you how I would feel… I would feel the same you felt as Itachi left."

"You don't know how I felt! I **HATE **him!!"

"Betrayed? Lonely? Angry? Scared? Shall I continue?" Naruto asked quietly. "Sasuke, I meant it when I said that you don't know me, I have more insight than most people give me credit for. True, you have more than enough reason to hate your brother, but if you let that hate cloud your mind and you charge blindly into a fight, then you are as good as dead, you only haven't noticed it jet. Sasuke, I know how it's like to hate as well as I know how it's like to be hated and I know that revenge at the cost of your humanity isn't going to make you feel any better. All it'll leave behind is a bitter taste and a lonely person."

"Hn, what are you talking about? You, the goof, the happy smiling fool, you are incapable of hating. Hell you didn't even hate that Haku guy after he tried to kill you!"

"I am very much capable of hating, Sasuke, and I have received more than enough hate to last me a lifetime."

"What…," Sasuke began, but was interrupted once again.

"The cold stares," the voice of Sakura suddenly whispered, alerting Naruto and Sasuke that she was awake. "I always thought it was because of the pranks you played, but that is not the truth, is it?"

Naruto stared at her for a moment, seemingly fighting with herself. Then she sighted and closed her eyes, head bowed a little.

"No, they despise the simple fact that I am alive…," Naruto answered finally. "I'll be honest with you guys. If it weren't for you I would have lost myself a long time ago… Maybe you don't remember it anymore, Sasuke, but I do. The day on the peer, when I walked by and we stared at each other for a moment… In that moment I felt so close to you, I knew that I was not alone and that was when I truly smiled… the first smile in a very long time, not that stupid grin…"

"But why?" Sasuke asked, finally sitting back down. "Why would they hate a little kid? Did your parents do something horrible, or…"

"I think I know why…," Sakura interrupted, tears in her eyes. "The day on the bridge when we thought that Sasuke was dead, the malevolent red chakra…"

"Youki," Naruto corrected absently.

"And later, that Gaara kid… you said that you were alike…you did mean it, because…" Sakura looked up, locking gaze with Naruto, "a demon is sealed in you too…"

Sasukes eyes widened. "That explains everything… how you could beat him while I could not…"

Naruto sighted.

"_That is typical Sasuke," _Naruto thought, mentally shaking her head. "_He should be shocked or at leased concerned that a demon houses inside his best friend, but no, he is only glad that I haven't surpassed him. Arrogant bastard!"_

"Yes, but Sasuke it is only borrowed power and the price is high, like the price you have to pay if you go to Orochimaru. And before you asked, yes I know about that too and thanks for telling me by the way," Naruto finished sarcastically. Thought the sarcasm part was lost to Sasuke, because he touched his neck unconsciously, glaring at Sakura.

"I didn't…," Sakura tried to defend herself, tears welling up again.

"She didn't tell me anything, teme. That was sarcasm, geez, and you are supposed to be a genius… I knew the moment this stupid marks appeared on your body. You are not the first one to get such a nasty thing, remember that crazy examiner? With the purple hair?"

"Mitarashi Anko?" Sakura said promptly.

"Yes, she's Orochimaru's former apprentice, before he went rogue that is… he gave it to her, although he knew that the chance of survival was, and still is, only one in ten." Naruto explained, looking once again in Sasukes direction. Sakuras shocked gasp was ignored. "You don't interest him, it's your Sharingan he wants, your body for his twisted goal of immortality. You can do so much better than him."

"That may be so," Sasuke insisted stubbornly. "But I have no demon sealed inside of me to give me power. And Konoha sure isn't going to give it to me."

"You didn't listen to me when I talked about that revenge, at the cost of everything, isn't the right path, did you?"

"Naruto is right, Sasuke! Please, let me help you!" She shared a look with Naruto who nodded. "Let _us_ help you! I may not be of any help now, but I'll do anything for you…"

"That **Ten no Juin **on your shoulder gives you power, true, but it is not your power. It is Orochimaru's… if you use it to kill Itachi, then it wasn't really you that beat him... You will always remember that you yourself were too _weak_ to face him on your own, without any cheap tricks. Then again, we're shinobi …cheap tricks don't exist for us. The question is… can you live with that?"

It was a simple question, but so hard to answer for Sasuke. On the one hand he wanted to kill Itachi no matter what… but on the other hand he wanted to do it himself, with his own hands. Itachi had said that hate was the only way to become strong enough to face him…then again he killed them all. He played the good elder brother. Why should his word be trusted?

Suddenly Sasuke was once again subjected to memory flashes, but not of the horrible sort. He thought back to when he and Naruto had freed Kakashi when he was at Sabuza's mercy in that water prison of his. Then the scene was replaced with the memory of him and Naruto completing the tree walking exercise, pushing each other to their limit. Finally the scene changed to where he had protected Naruto from the senbon, accepting possible death to save his friend… accepting that he would not be able to take revenge on his brother.

"_Am I really that blind? Did jealousy really get the better of me? We were always good as a team," _Sasuke thought. "_We took on enemies that should have been way above us… We learned a new technique in a short amount of time…__**We**__… Maybe hate isn't the only way… at the very least he isn't so lonely…"_

"No," Sasuke said with resolve, his hands balled into fists. "I won't follow his path, I won't become like him!" He looked at his team-mates. "I'll stay with you here… We'll get stronger as a team…"

Sakura squealed in pure bliss, jumping Sasuke and hugging him.

"No we won't…," Naruto said suddenly, avoiding eye contact. Sakura stopped squeezing the air out of Sasuke and he stopped in return to try and get her off.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked confused, exchanging a worried look with Sasuke.

"Has it something to do with the fact that you are walking around in your **Oiroke no Jutsu **form?" Sasuke inquired, eying her appearance .

"One could say that," Naruto admitted, fidgeting with her hands. "Only that this is not my **Oiroke no Jutsu**."

"Are you implying that-" Sakura and Sasuke asked at the same time.

"That I'm a girl? Yeah…" Naruto reached for her mask and showed it to the two. "When I wear this mask I am known as Sesshomaru."

"But why the disguise? Why are you posing as a boy when you are clearly a girl?"

"Honestly?" Naruto asked and earned herself two nods. "I don't know. I always lived as a boy, I don't know it any other way. And I would probably still don't know it if Kyuubi hadn't …"

"KYUUBI!!" Sakura screeched suddenly startling the blond completely.

"Yeah, but I thought we had established the fact that I am a Jinchuriki a few minutes ago…"

"But the freaking KYUUBI! It is dead! The Yondaime killed it!"

"Lies… all lies to protect me, to give me a normal childhood as best as possible," Naruto explained, a little nervous. "The Sandaime established a law that states that no one is allowed to talk about what really happened to the _immortal _demon Lord Kyuubi."

"So you have a nearly endless amount of chakra at your disposal?" Sasuke asked seemingly bored. But Naruto could practically see the wheels in his brain turn and twist on high speed, planning and scheming. "Fine by me, a reason more why it could be useful to have you around." Naruto wanted to punch that smirk from his face, but restrained herself. Barely.

"But… Kyuubi…," Sakura stammered. "Gaara…"

Sasuke sighted before he answered for the blond. "Do you see Naruto walking around killing people to proof his… I mean _her _existence?"

"Noooo," Sakura answered stretched, pressing herself a little further into Sasuke, away from Naruto. The blond felt her heat clench at that action, but did not comment. "But you saw what happened when that monster raccoon took over Gaara, what if…"

"Don't worry, that won't happen to me," Naruto assured. But she had felt an even harder pang of hurt as the words left Sakura's mouth. She wouldn't be able to bear it if her only friends were to be afraid of her too. Well friend since Sasuke didn't seemed to care that much.

"First, my seal is way better than his and secondly I'm on rather good terms with Kyuubi. Oh, and Kyuubi is a he not an it… the old furball absolutely hates it to be referred to as 'it'."

"On good terms," Sasuke inquired suddenly interested. "How good?"

"Daughter and father."

"Ts, talk about good connections…, dobe."

"So it …_he_ won't kill us?" Sakura asked carefully.

"No."

"Then I don't know what's stopping us to remain a team, shannaro!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed, talk about mood swings. She stood up and sat down besides Naruto, hugging her. "I can live with a girl disguised as a boy on my team and if Kyuubi isn't going to kill us then I don't have a problem with him either… well not much of a problem that is, he did kill all those people…. And Sasuke stays so…"

"Sasuke stays," the blond confirmed. "But I have to leave."

"WHAT? You can't leave, you…"

"Let me finish Sakura. What I reveal to you now will remain, under any circumstances, among us three."

She looked them both in the eyes waiting for a sign of acceptance. As both nodded she continued on. "This evening the council ordered the death of Uzumaki Naruto. They deem me a danger and fear that I could release the Kyuubi."

Silence.

"No," Sakura said , shaking her head in denial. "They wouldn't do that, they can't…"

"Fortunately they hired Sesshomaru to get ride of the 'demon brat'. I have no other choice, Sakura… please understand."

"Well then," Sasuke said, getting up from his armchair. "When do we leave?"

Naruto blinked a few times. Was he for real?

"I don't know what you…"

"'Those who abandon the rules are trash. But those who abandon their team-mates are worse than trash' I finally understand it," Sasuke interrupted. "I won't let you leave alone… Who is going to keep you in line if not me?"

"And me!" Sakura exclaimed, standing up too. "What I said to Sasuke on the road wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. I meant it and it goes not only for him, but for you too. I have a family, but you are more important right now. I love Sasuke with all my heart and I love you too, Naruto. Just in another way…" Suddenly a light bulb seems to lighten up in her head. "Uhm…Naruto. Could it be that you are… you know…asking me to all those dates…"

"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed after putting the pieces together. "No, no… I'm straight… it was only cover, you know? But I still like you, don't get me wrong and more importantly don't hit me! I like you as my… very beautiful, generous and forgiving big sister? "

"I'm glad…," Sakura answered, stopping to crack her knuckles in a threatening manner. "But you forgot strong…"

"Sure! How could I forget that!" Naruto exclaimed, trying to protect her head with her arms.

"Hn, dobe…," the raven muttered while shaking his head. They could be so immature. "So what are we going to do now? I would rather not stay here too long… bad memories."

Sakura looked at him with pity while Naruto grinned.

"That question is simple to answer, teme. We die."

"What?" Both asked as one.

"Naruto will be killed by Sesshomaru and since his team-mates were in the way…"

"They had to die as well," Sasuke finished.

"But how?" Sakura questioned.

"With the help of a little creation of mine… the **Chishio Bunshin no Jutsu. **It is much like the **Kagebunshin no Jutsu, **but the clone's actually bleed."

"That's it?"

"Well it is a little more complicated since you two don't know the technique, jet, and we don't have time to teach it to you, but yeah, that's it. The best plans are generally the easy ones, you know. Less things can go wrong."

"I din't want to question your plan, Naruto, but they are normally a little more… how can I put it…a little more flashy?"

"Oh, don't worry," Naruto assured with a devilish smile on her face. "Of course I thought of the flashy part as well… If you liked the prank I pulled on the last day of the academy you will love this one, I'm sure." Naruto started to chuckle evilly, scaring her team-mates a little.

"That sounds rather worrisome…," Sakura stated with a sweat drop.

"Yeah… reminds me of Orochimaru… I refused the devil, but am in the clutches of the Beelzebub…"

"Haha, very funny you two," Naruto snapped, but it was no malice in her voice. "Well then it's only left to asked if you really wanna go through with it? Especially you, Sakura. You will not see your family for a very long time… neither your friends."

Sakura and Sasuke shared both a look. "Hn, my answer hasn't changed, dobe. I am coming with you whether you like it or not. I was ready to leave when Sakura stopped me, even thought I wasn't sure if I made the right decision. But now I am sure."

"Same goes for me," Sakura reinforced. "I love my family, but I love my friends too. If Konoha doesn't want you then I don't want Konoha. You sacrificed so much for this village, every day you wake up you are a hero, keeping Kyuubi at bay. We will prove them wrong, we will prove them all wrong. We will get stronger than anybody else!"

"_They really mean it," _Naruto realised. _"They know of Kyuubi and still don't leave me…"_

Before she realised it she was crying, a bright smile on her face.

"Oh, Naruto…," Sakura breathed and embraced her in a hug. Sasuke hesitated for a moment, but then joined in. They remained a few moments in that position, till Naruto stopped sobbing. They stepped back and Naruto dried her tears in her sleeves, still smiling.

"Well then let's get started, Team seven!" Naruto shouted, pumping her fist into the air. "Dattebayo!"

"Well," Sasuke sighted. "At least she's still the same… I don't know why, but it is reassuring to know."

"I know what you mean, Sasuke-kun," Sakura agreed watching Naruto as she made the hand signs for a henge. "Wait, Naruto that's wrong…"

With a small poof of smoke a perfect Sasuke-doppelganger stood in front of her.

"But the hand signs were wrong…," Sakura muttered not trusting her own eyes.

"No, they were not wrong," Naruto corrected grinning. "They were only different. This is my form of henge, a solid one."

"Come again?"

"Like I said, it's a solid one, meaning I actually change into the person. Try to dispel it if you don't belief me…" She regretted those words immediately as Sakura bumped her on the head. Very hard.

"Hey!" The blond protested turned raven. "Not so hard, that hurts you know!"

"Impossible!"

"So that's why I felt no difference between the henged you and the Fūma Shuriken in our fight against Zabuza. Because there _was _none!"

"Yeah, teme," his mirror image answered, but with a typical Naruto-grin on his handsome face. "I don't know any really powerful offensive Jutsu other than Kagebunshin, but I am a master of deception and concealing. Don't worry I'll teach you two everything I know once we are more or less save."

"Good to know, dobe, but stop grinning when you are in my body, it's creeping me out…"

"But that henge could change the ninja world forever, it…"

"It will remain a secret between us three," Naruto interrupted, suddenly very serious. "You are right, it would change the ninja world, but what do you think would happen when it got into the wrong hands? Imagine someone would impersonate the Hokage… it is a double edged sword, remember that very carefully."

"You are right, that would be a catastrophe… still… that you were able to create something like that…"

"Well, I had a little fuzzy help…"

The two nodded in understanding, watching as Naruto completed the **Chishio Bunshin no Jutsu **and then change into Sakura, doing the same. When Naruto was finished every one of the three had an exact replica standing next to them.

The only problem was that the clones were naked like the day they were born, what, in a sense, was exactly what had happened. The Sakura's both squealed, one in embarrassment and the other in delight, trying to get a good look at the naked Uchiha. The naked Sakura jumped behind the couch to hid herself while the Sasuke clone simply stepped behind the armchair, glaring like the original. Maybe even harder.

The naked Naruto busied itself with putting on clothes, namely the orange jumpsuit he was so infamous for. The real Naruto watched her clone activating the seal, turning herself into a boy again, before she threw a set of spare clothes into the clone-Sakura's direction.

Sasuke was already searching through his backpack, handing his clone clothes too, thought he looked not happy.

"You could have warned us, dobe…," the Uchiha growled.

"I forgot?" The blond asked sheepishly, scratching herself on the back of her head. "Thought you got a nice package for a thirteen year old…"

Naruto had to dodge a kunai, still grinning wickedly.

"Come on teme, be nice, it isn't as if you got nothing in return…"

Sasuke grumbled something inaudibly in return, but stopped hurling pointed objects at her. Although, Naruto would have sworn that she saw a tiny blush on his cheeks. "Right Sakura? Sakura…?"

Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other, then down to a happy smiling but unconscious Sakura, blood dripping out of her nose.

"That was your fault dobe."

"Well, technical it was yours, teme," the blond chuckled.

Sasuke glared at her again, reaching for his hip-pouch.

"All right, all right, calm down…," Naruto hurried to say, attempting to calm him down again, raising her hands in defeat. "We should continue… and maybe we should let her sleep a little while longer… it's going to get bloody."

"I call dips on your clone," Sasuke said darkly, taking out a kunai and slowly making his way to it.

"Poor me," the blond muttered. Taking out a scroll and smearing a little blood on it she summoned a large bucket. "Before you are going to chop me into peaces you have to bleed me out a little… we are going to need it later," Naruto explained as she noticed Sasuke's questioning look. "I have only one bucket, since I didn't include you two into my plan, but there is enough space in there for a few litre from the three of us. With the rest we are going to 'decorate' this room…"

Sasuke shrugged, took the bucket and plunged the kunai in the heart of the Naruto-clone, 'killing' it instantly…then he proceeded to cut its throat, letting the blood flow into the bucket.

"…_," _Naruto thought, turning to the jeans and t-shirt clad Sakura-clone. She had a little more scruple than Sasuke. They where living, breathing beings after all, but she knew it had to be done. With a deep sight and an apologetic look she broke the clones neck and threw a kunai after the Sasuke-clone. Hitting it straight in the heart, killing it instantly. No sense in torturing them unnecessary.

When the bucket was completely filled with the mixed blood of the three, Sakura woke up slowly. Rubbing her head and sitting up she got a good look at the three dead bodies, one being her own… With a strangled noise she promptly threw up.

"Sakura," Naruto said worried, but Sakura held up her hand to silence her.

"It's alright. I simply wasn't prepared for this…" She stood up completely, a little shaky thought, and took a handkerchief out of her pouch, cleaning herself.

"What are we going to do with them?" Sasuke asked to change the topic. "Are we going to simply leave them here?"

"No," Naruto answered, shaking her head. She pointed at the dead Sasuke clone. "Someone could take your sharingan for example or they could try something with my body or… well the list goes on, but you two should go outside now…"

She took out a scroll again, summoning a long katana.

Sasuke nodded, secretly glad that he could finally leave the death place of his parents and now his death place in a sense too… He reached for the bucket, taking it and looking expectantly at Sakura.

"Yeah…lets go. I really don't want to see this…"

Following Sasuke they stepped back outside, waiting for Naruto to join them.

They watched the rain fall in silence, both in their own world. The storm hadn't lessened in the least, lightning still flashed and thunder still growled.

A few minutes later Naruto stepped out of the door.

The three stood besides each other for a few seconds before Naruto finally moved. She stepped into the rain, again putting chakra into her feet. Sasuke and Sakura followed her example before they heeded out, none of them registering the large shadow that watched them leave.

* * *

"Damn, it's already four in the morning," Kotetsu complained. "Hah………." He shifted the pile of papers he was carrying through Konoha. "The council is pretty harsh to use people… The documents they forgot …they could have at least done it themselves…"

"At leased it has stopped raining…," an equally packed Izumo said. He couldn't even look over the pile he was carrying.

Suddenly Kotetsu stopped in shock and Izumo nearly pumped into him.

"Hey careful will you!" Izumo growled, trying to prevent the stack of paper to crash to the pavement. "Kotetsu, what…?"

But Kotetsu didn't answer him, he kept on staring at the mountainside, mouth and eyes wide open in horror. Shifting the papers again Izumo looked carefully around them and up to the Hokage Monument. Not a second later the Chunin mirrored the expression of his partner. Horrified at what he saw, he unconsciously let go of his papers, littering the ground with them.

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Izumo screamed on top of his lungs, waking up the whole neighborhood.

Soon shouts all around Konoha could be heard, some shocked, some enraged and some scared, but one thing all had in common, they had taken a good look at the face of the Yondaime Hokage.

Three deep gashes on each cheek adored his face, looking almost like whisker marks…They stood proudly on his face, colored in red, blood red…

**TBC**

* * *

**Translations:**

**Hi no Kuni **- Land of Fire

**senbon **- throwing needles

**Oiroke no Jutsu - **Sexy Technique

**Ten no Juin **- Cursed Seal of Heaven

**Chishio Bunshin no Jutsu **- Blood bunshin

**Mangekyou Sharingan **- Kaleidoscope (Mirror of 10000 Flowers) Copy Wheel eye

**Fūma Shuriken **- also known as the "Shadow Windmill Shuriken". Fūma literally translates to "Wind Demon". It is an enormous shuriken, which the user holds by the hole at the center of the weapon. It has four blades that can be sheathed as one, creating a sort of dagger.

* * *

**IMPORTANT**

**Author's Note: **Well for this one I changed the timeline a little to accommodate my plans. The fifth Hokage is not brought back jet since it is only a day after the funeral of the Sandaime… So everything between the funeral and Kakashi's talk with Sasuke up in that tree did not happen, thought the Sound Four **did **visit Sasuke.

See ya next time an please **review!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Oath

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does. 

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_Blood, death and cussing… oh yeah, definitely cussing!

**__**

Killing Perfection

by Godwolf Fenrir

Chapter 4: The Oath

**In Konoha early in the morning**

ANBU can run fast when someone disfigures the Hokage Monument, especially, when it is the stone face honoring the greatest hero of all of Konoha's History. They swarmed the whole village, like an angry hornet swarm, searching for the culprit. They had a pretty good idea who it could be since they only knew one person that would be stupid and reckless enough to do something like that and that was…

"**NARUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**!!!"

The enraged cry of one Umino Iruka rang out throughout Konoha. He stood on the main road directly in front of the Hokage Tower, hands on his hips and face beet red out of anger, as he looked at the face of the Yondaime Hokage.

"This time you went too far, young men, when I get my hands on you I'll…"

"Iruka-san", called out a voice to the enraged academy teacher, startling him. "Why are you so angry this early in the morning? The academy hasn't even started yet, when I'm not mistaken."

Iruka turned around coming face to book with a copy of the infamous Icha Icha series. The teacher, even more angry now than he was five seconds ago, snatched the book away and was finally able to look into the face of his opposite. Or what could be seen of it anyway, since the only part of the face that was uncovered was the right eye.

"If you hadn't buried your face 24/7 in that crap you call literature", the brunette accused, waving the little orange covered book from left to right, "then you would have surely noticed what happened to the face of the Fourth! Some Jonin you are!" He pointed with his other arm to the mountainside, all the while glaring at the silver haired Jonin. Kakashi's visible eye widened when he followed the gesture, finally taking in the new appearance of his former Sensei's face. He pushed up his Hitai-ate, revealing his sharingan and checked for a genjutsu. To his horror he couldn't find any, meaning that someone had carved the horizontal lines into the stone.

"No genjutsu, huh?", Iruka asked, sounding not really surprised. "Thought so, Naruto is horrible at that after all."

Kakashi forced himself to look away from the horrible sight.

"What makes you think that it was Naruto, Iruka-san?", Kakashi inquired, covering his left eye once again. "He hasn't played any pranks since his graduation."

"True, but honestly, who else would do something like that!!"

"Don't know", the Jonin replied, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "But this is not his style. I have a feeling that something is not right."

Iruka looked from Kakashi to the Monument and back again. One could practically see the little wheels turning in his head as he thought about what Kakashi had said. Naruto had never really damaged anything with his pranks, even when he painted something, it was always more or less easily removable so…

"Maybe you're right", Iruka mumbled finally, clearly worried. "It is a long way from painting to craving after all, but those lines…. they _do _look like…"

"Whiskers…", Kakashi finished for him. "And that is what's disturbing me… if that isn't Naruto's doing then it has at least something to do with him… let's go investigate."

Snatching his beloved book back, Kakashi shunshined away, leaving only a poof of smoke and some leafs behind.

Sighting Iruka looked at the Mountain again before he too shunshined away, following Kakashi. "I know the death of the Sandaime hit you pretty hard but that is no excuse…I really hope that that wasn't you, Naruto…"

* * *

**In the forest surrounding Konoha**

The most sought after leaf nin at the moment, even outranking the sannin Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi, was currently far away, busy with jumping from tree branch to tree branch and totally unconcerned with the havoc she had caused within Konoha.

On the contrary she was very pleased with herself and the fact that she was not travelling alone. Sasuke and Sakura followed her lead, touching the branches only with their feet unlike Naruto who used her hands too. This was something she had Kyuubi to thank for, thought it didn't bother her in the least. Sure it looked quite funny, at least that's what Sakura told her, but oh well… There would surely be quite a bit more things that were naturally for her and strange to the other two, they would simply have to get used to it.

Like her heightened senses for example that chose that moment to start screaming bloody murder. Closing her eyes, Naruto send out a wave of chakra like a bat would do with Ultrasonic, to scan her surroundings for that something or someone that ticked of her senses.

The salvo of chakra was not entirely human but lacked the malice that was normally attributed to demon youki, so no human being could ever hope to sense this kind of echolocation. Thought the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan would be able to see the pulse if their Bloodline was activated ,but they wouldn't be able to gain any advantage out of it like Naruto did. The chakra/youki mix was reflected back to her so she was able to 'see' what was farther away from her. Not 'see' like humans normally do but forms, contours and distances. It seemed as if the whole world was drawn with indian ink, only edges and outlines, no color and every picture was only a snapshot. It existed only for the short time the 'echo' needed to fade away.

"Hey, Naruto!", Sakura called out suddenly, effectively breaking her concentration. She was the first one to break the silence in quite some time. Leave it to Sakura to open her big mouth at the wrong time, luckily Naruto had already found what she was searching for.

"Yes Sakura?"

"Why are we going this way? That's not the way to Tanzaku Gai!"

"I know…", Naruto answered, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. What thought Sakura she was? A complete moron?

"Are you sure?", her pink haired team mate inquired. Careful not to upset the blond. "I think we are lost."

"Hn", Sasuke very helpful commented.

"No, Sakura", Naruto replied, coming to a halt on a particularly thick branch that could carry the weight of the three. "We're NOT lost, locationally challenged maybe, but not lost."

Sasura's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to retort but Sasuke's interruption prevented that.

"That was a joke, Sakura. Naruto is just being… well Naruto."

Said blond chuckled to herself and dodged a fist at the last second. Sakura growled as she missed her intended target; Naruto's head.

"No, seriously we are taking this way to evade the patrols and any other _uninvited company _and to conceal where we are really going, just in case something _unexpected happens_", Naruto explained, starring at her team mates intently through her mask. This would have been far easier if she wouldn't wear a mask, but she tried her hardest to get her message across nonetheless.

"It would not bode well for us if _anyone_ sees us alive and well when we should be dead and unwell", Sasuke supplied, meeting gaze with Naruto who nodded barely noticeable. His hand slowly inched to his weapon-pouch to take out a kunai. Sakura's eyes widened slightly as she noticed his gesture and it made finally click in her head.

"So that is why we are travelling in the trees and not on the _ground_", Sakura complemented, reaching for her hip-pouch too.

Naruto suddenly hurled a hail of kunai into the bushes below them faster than Sasuke and Sakura had ever seen her move, forcing the enemy-nin to reveal themselves. Four rather young looking ninja with absolutely no fashion sense what's so ever landed on a branch before team seven.

"You again", Sasuke muttered under his breath as he identified them immediately. He slipped into his fighting stance, ready to finish what he had started inside of Konoha. "Be careful", the raven advised his team mates, "that are Orochimaru's goons. They were the ones that tried to get me to leave Konoha." _And nearly succeeded. _No one actually said that out loud but all three could hear it clearly none the less.

"I swear Sasuke, your stalkers get creepier by the second", Naruto commented dryly, eying the four carefully.

"Who are you calling creepy you masked wearing piece of shit?!", the redhead and only female of the group shouted.

Naruto merely raised her eyebrows, thought they couldn't see that, and snorted. "Oh, you got one hell of a foul mouth there, if you are not careful I'll have to clean it out for you."

"Was that a threat, bitch?"

"Control yourself Tayuya, that is no proper language for a girl", the biggest of the four reprimanded. Waving his finger disappointed in her direction.

"Suck it up, fatso!", Tayuya retorted. "I won't let myself be insulted by little pieces of crap!"

"Jirobo", the two headed one interrupted before Jirobo was able to retort, thought his face twisted in anger. "And you too, Tayuya. Stop this bickering immediately."

"Yeah! This game gets old really fast!", the six-armed guy proclaimed .

"Shut it Kidomaru-freak", Tayuya whispered in response earning herself a pointed glare.

Team seven calmly watched the scene unfolded, thought they were still on guard and ready to defend at a moments notice.

"And here I always thought we have communication problems", Naruto said to her team mates, shaking her head slowly. "And they are the best that Orochimaru had to offer? His personal bodyguards?"

"We **are** the best", Kidomaru confirmed, folding his six arms. "We are on top of Otogakure's Highscore!"

"Then I'm not surprised that his invasion failed…"

Tayuya's face took on a murderous look. "What did you say, shit stain? Wait till I get my hands on you you fucking bimbo!! I'll take that mask of yours and shove it down your throat along with those fucking words!"

"That is enough!"

"But, Sakon…"

"Enough already!", Sakon snapped , daring her to say another word. "We are not necessarily here to fight." He looked from Tayuya to Sasuke, studying his fighting stance for a moment. "Although it seems we have to… What do you say, Uchiha Sasuke? Have you thought about our offer? It would greatly benefit…"

The kunai that embedding itself between his feet shut him up, thought he didn't even try to dodge.

"I take that as a no", Sakon said, watching Sasuke as he took another kunai out of his pouch to replace his lost one. "Well, that's more than ok with me, because it is more fun this way." A wicked gin spread over his face before he addressed his fellow sound-nin. "Kidomaru, you and Jirobo will capture our little Uchiha. You can roughen him up a little but no long-lasting damage. Tayuya you'll take care of the pink haired…"

"NO! I want that fucking masked wearing, big mouthed slut! Why can't fatso deal with the pink bimbo?!", complained the red head loudly, sputtering profanities at least every five words.

"Because he is better equipped to capture than you!"

"Then why don't you fucking deal with the flat chested bitch?", Tayuya growled . "I don't see…"

"Because pink is not my colour and the other looks like more fun and now shut your mouth! I'm the leader so do what you are told or Orochimaru-sama will get angry."

The mentioning of the snake bastard calmed her down a little, but darkened Naruto's mood considerably. Someday that kami damned asshole would get what was coming for him a long time, she would ensure that.

"How about we stop this shit-chat and get this party started?", an irritated blond interrupted, forming a seal. A second later the hidden seal on Sasuke's kunai went off, creating a huge explosion. The sound-nin managed to get away in time and nearly unharmed, but now seriously pissed of.

Standing back to back with her team mates and scanning her surroundings for an incoming attack, Naruto addressed them, whispering under her breath.

"They will try to separate us and I don't think we can stop them. Just be careful, ok?"

"Shouldn't we at least try to stay together?", Sakura asked uncertain. She tried her hardest to stop her voice from shaking but with no success. "I'm not as strong as you two are and…"

Before she could finish her sentence Naruto formed her favourite cross seal, creating two Kage Bunshin.

"They'll help you and don't worry they will not go poof so easily…" she hesitated a moment before she continued, "let's just say they are special and now attention… here they come."

A moment later the sound four attacked from above, forcing team seven plus two to dodge and in doing so to separate.

The fight was on.

Sasuke and his Naruto-clone landed not too far away from their original location on the ground, facing Jirobo and the spider like guy Kidomaru. Kidomaru hung upside down from a tree branch only supported by his spider threads, grinning like a lunatic.

"This is going to be an easy level", Kidomaru sneered, eyeing Sasuke and then shifting his gaze to Naruto. "A little genin and a clone. Not much of a challenge, but a game is a game and I'm not about to complain."

Sasuke scoffed at being called little and activated his sharingan, glaring at Kidomaru threateningly.

"I wouldn't count us out just yet", Naruto warned . She had one of her arms on Sasuke's shoulder, preventing him from blindly attacking his foes because of that stupid pride of his. That was exactly what got him usually into bad situation. Someone said something that his oversized ego couldn't handle, he got angry, got on his high horse and lost his ability to think clearly. "Arrogance was the undoing of many a shinobi, we may surprise you", the blond continued, addressing her enemies as well as her team mate. Sasuke got the hint and relaxed somewhat.

"Please, Sasuke-sama, it is unnecessary to fight", Jirobo pleaded once again. "It is honorable that you are unwilling to turn traitor on your team mates, but Orochimaru-sama ordered us to bring you to him and he won't accept a no as an answer."

Sasuke's gaze turned icy and he balled his fists with so much force that cracking noises could be heard. "No one orders me around!", the Uchiha snapped. "For all I care Orochimaru can go to hell, I sure don't need him!" He looked at Naruto out of the corner of his eyes and smirked. "Ready to get ride of these annoyances, dobe?"

Jirobo sighted deeply and Kidomaru's grin got even more wicked if that was possible. Naruto, on the other hand, felt as if a heavy burden was suddenly lifted from her. Her fear that Sasuke would run of to Orochimaru first chance he got, despite his words in his old home, was suddenly taken from her. Her friend was back and he was back to stay, that frightening being she had encountered in the forest of death securely chained away.

"A mere clone isn't nearly enough to stop us, Uchiha-sama."

"Who said I was a _mere _clone", Naruto asked from behind Jirobo, delivering a harsh kick to his head. The kick hit dead on, sending Jirobo flying through the air. Before he could do anything about it, Sasuke was under him, delivering another powerful kick, this time to the small of his back, sending him flying high into the air.

Jumping after his target, Sasuke appeared below Jirobo while following a similar trajectory. He drew back his leg to deliver a kick directly to Jirobo's stomach, followed by a back of the hand strike to the face. Finally out of his stupor, Jirobo was able to block the strike to his face, but Sasuke simply spun around once again and delivered a final spin-kick that landed his left heel directly on the centre of his opponent, driving him into the ground and finishing his **Shishi Rendan**.

Naruto on the other hand dealt with Kidomaru while Sasuke handled Jirobo. They had moved of the ground, leaving it to the other two.

"I'll have this finished in record time, no problem", Kidomaru taunted . "**Kumo Sōka**.**" **

Kidomaru gathered his spider thread into his mouth, spitting net-like cobwebs at Naruto, trieing to catch her with them.

"I wouldn't count on that, asshole!", the clone retorted as she jumped through the air and from tree branch to tree branch to evade the webs and trying at the same time to get closer to her opponent. Kidomaru was slightly surprised of her display of speed and would this have been the original she may have put up a good fight, but as she was only a clone, all he had to do was to get a good hit in and she would disperse. Said clone dodged the last web and catapulted herself in Kidomaru's direction, aiming straight for his head, fist drawn back. Said boy didn't even try to dodge but smirked and Naruto had the sudden feeling that she just made a grave mistake.

With his six hands folded and a whisper of **Ninpou: Kumo Shibari**, Kidomaru let loose a big spider web constructed like a hunting net. Naruto was unable to dodge and got tangled in the net, another **Kumo Sōka **following straight after hit dead on, slamming her against a tree with force, pinning her there and driving the air out of her lungs.

"Gah!"

"Hehe, caught ya!", Kidomaru said smugly, thought he was surprised that she did not disperse on contact. Nevertheless he cut off his spider thread and landed on a tree branch a few meters away from the trapped blond. "It's only been a minute, but I am already tired of dealing with you."

"Fuck you!", Naruto cursed as she struggled furiously but futilely against her bindings. "What is this shit?!"

Kidomaru chuckled, already tasting his victory. "That is my indestructible thread, it is infused with my chakra… but now it is game over for you."

He inhaled deeply, collecting some more of his spider webbing into his mouth. Naruto noticed that and tried even more desperately to escape. She watched as Kidomaru opened his mouth, releasing a golden lance like thing, aimed directly at her heart.

"Shit!", Naruto cursed once more, collecting her youki. "If this doesn't work then Sasuke stands alone against these two."

With the spear-thing only meters away, Naruto released the youki in one mighty burst, destroying her bindings. She dropped safely onto a branch, wasting no time she appeared a second later behind a wide eyed Kidomaru, kunai in hand. As she readied her attack she watched as the golden lance imbedded itself deep into the bark of the tree, exactly where she was only moments ago.

With an evil gin and a shout of "**Konohagakure Hiden: Taijutsu no Ōgi: Sennen Goroshi**"Naruto plunged her kunai forcefully into Kidomaru's behind, catapulting him into the air.

"YAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU", Kidomaru screeched, holding his ass with all six of his hands. Was it in a less serious situation then Naruto would have surely laughed.

"If you think that hurt, then you won't like this at all!", Naruto informed almost casually. She appeared behind Kidomaru and delivered a punch between his shoulder blades. "**Bakuhatsu genkotsu**!"

A large explosion was released with the sound-nin as its centre, engulfing him completely in flames. Naruto on the other hand barely managed to evade the recoil of her own attack, using her youki as a shield of sorts, to absorb most of its force. If she would have been any slower then she would have suffered a great deal of damage, too. Unfortunately was she not the original and that attack took a great deal out of her.

"Great, one down one to go", the blonde panted, watching as the smoke far below her slowly cleared. But to Naruto's utter shock no marred and mangled body was reveal, but a completely intact one, covered in a strange golden full body armor that started to crack to reveal unharmed skin.

"WHAT THE HELL!!", Naruto screamed enraged. "That was a _direct_ hit! I'm sure of it!!"

"Hihihi", Kidomaru snickered as black spiral-designs started to cover almost his entire body. "I would have never guessed that I would have to use my **Nenkin no Yoroi **against a mere clone. I guess the level of difficulty just rose a little."

"I understand…", Naruto muttered, narrowing her eyes at her opponent. "You are not only able to emit that golden stuff out of your mouth to attack, but to use it as defence as well."

"Isn't it great?", Kidomaru asked, grinning widely as he jumped up in the trees again, shaking of the last of his armor. "I am able to secrete it from my sweat glands to protect me from powerful attacks! This game is so much more fun than I originally thought it would be!"

Then he was gone. Vanishing from her sight, fusing with their surroundings.

"_Hn",_ Naruto thought, scanning the trees for her foe. "_Even thought he has that armor to protect him he seems to want to play it save. No close combat... well then, where are you little spider… there!!"_

Naruto dodged the hail of kunai that headed in her direction by jumping of the tree branch. With a quiet thud Naruto landed on the ground, sending her own kunai to where Kidomaru was hiding, forcing him to change location.

"Watch out!", cried out a voice and before she knew what was happening someone had picked her up bridal style, carrying her away from the spot she had previously occupied. Not a second later came a dumpling shaped chunk of earth the size of a small house crashing down, flattening everything in its path.

"Holy shit!" Naruto muttered. She looked away from the stone and up into the face of her savior. "Thanks a lot, teme."

"Hn", the raven grunted , releasing Naruto to her own two feet.

"GOT YOU! **Doton Kekkai: Dorōodōmu**!"

A large dome of earth suddenly rose out of the ground and enclosed the two. All sunlight was blocked out and they were trapped inside.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!!!!", the blond cried out, punching the stonewall with every word and with so much force that she actually created dents in the wall. "They got us! And what the fuck is this wall?", the blond asked while watching the wall repair itself.

"Calm down, dobe. This obviously isn't going to work."

"He is right you know, girly", Jirobo's voice could be heard from the outside. "Besides woman shouldn't use such crude language."

Naruto growled in response, punching the wall where Jirobo's voice seems to come from. "Wait till I get out of here, then I'll show you what a woman should and should not do!"

Suddenly a light illuminated their prison, but it was not an opening that could be used as a means to escape, it was Sasuke using some kind of instant-light.

Naruto turned away from the wall and stopped shaking her fist in anger and looked at Sasuke who, in return, watched her carefully.

"You look like shit", Naruto informed. "Did you come between Sakura and Ino again?"

"Very funny!", the Uchiha growled before it turned into a smirk. "At least it'll get better, unlike your missing brain, dobe."

"It can't be that bad after all… your attitude didn't suffer at all", Naruto stated, a large grin on her face. "But seriously, what happened?"

"He is extremely strong but I was able to land a few good hits with my far superior speed." By the word 'superior' Naruto rolled her eyes, earning a glare from the Uchiha, but he ignored her otherwise and

continued his report. "He activated his curse seal after I finished my **Shishi Rendan**. I was able to evade most of his attacks but he got a few hits past my defence", the raven continued, rubbing his injured cheek. "He got a real mean right hook…" Sasuke trailed off for a moment, then a shudder went through his body. "But it got even worse after I hit him with a **Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu**. That damn seal Orochimaru gave me got a freaking second stage!! I couldn't do anything…", Sasuke growled, balling his fists. No doubt dwelling in the past again and cursing his own weakness. He simply didn't realise that he was anything BUT weak.

"I can't see your problem, teme", Naruto said, casually shrugging her shoulders. Being Naruto she tried instantly to lighten the mood. "At least he didn't try to flatten you with a house-sized pebble."

"True… I guess that is just your luck, dobe."

"Teme", the blond whined in a very Naruto-like fashion. He could practically see the fake tears running down her cheeks. A small smile crept onto his face, against his will of course. After a moment he sighted tiredly, deactivated his Sharingan and letting himself sink down onto the ground, leaning against the wall of their prison.

"Strange… I feel kind of tired all of a sudden, I mean even more tired than a few moments ago…", Sasuke confessed.

Naruto's eyes widened suddenly, realisation slowly seeping into her mind.

"Fuck… He absorbs chakra!", the blond half shouted, palming her own forehead and releasing a few more curses.

"So you have noticed?", Jirobo asked. Judging from the tone of his voice he was in a very good mood. "Resistance is useless, I am draining your chakra and I have to say that it is delicious..."

"Yeah, that annoying hindrance of a clone should pop any moment now", Kidomaru supplied. "A shame really, I would have loved to face the original, Sakon is so lucky!"

"That is not good", Sasuke mumbled. He pushed himself to his feet again, not accepting defeat so easily.

"We have to get out of here… there has to be a way…", Naruto muttered, wracking her brain for a good idea. "Come on, we need a good plan…"

"A good plan?", a smirking Sasuke replied. "It doesn't have to be good, I would even take one of your more crazy plans like the one in wave, you know the near suicidal ones…"

"THAT'S IT!", Naruto exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "Sasuke you are a genius!"

"I know that, and it's nice that you've finally seen reason, but… _what the hell are you talking about? I didn't say anything important!_"

"Well you did", Naruto replied shrugging again. "You said suicide!"

Sasuke froze for a moment, then he stretched out his arm, shoved Naruto's masked a few inches to the side so he could reach her cheek and rested his hand on it. He remembered his mother doing it when he was younger and not feeling well, thought she always did it with his forehead and cheeks.

"Temperature seems normal", the raven muttered to himself. "Maybe that spider-guy poisoned you with something?"

Naruto slapped his hand aside and repositioned her mask.

"I'm fine, teme!", Naruto assured . "I didn't mean it like you think I did!"

"Oh? So how _did_ you mean it then?"

"Ah… have you not noticed that I am completely unaffected by what fatty does?"

"Yeah, well you're a clone so…"

"So?", Naruto inquired, raising an eyebrow. "You are my team mate and you haven't noticed something strange about me? I'm disappointed, teme."

Sasuke blinked a few times before, finally, it dawned to him. "That strange feeling your chakra emits…"

Naruto smiled under her mask, nodding her head in affirmation. "Yes, but it is not really chakra and his technique only drains chakra."

"But then what is…"

"Youki", the blond answered before Sasuke could even finish his question. "The original created me not with chakra like she normally does, but with youki. That's more or less the demon equivalent to chakra only that it is much more powerful, allowing me to take more damage and use more powerful jutsu. But there is something else…" Naruto lowered her voice to a whisper. "My youki is highly poisonous…so what do you think will happen once I feed it forcefully to this Jirobo guy?"

A chilling smirk appeared on Sasukes face, accompanied by a dangerous glint in his eyes. "One annoying bastard less on the face of the world…"

"Yeah, but it has a drawback", Naruto admitted. "I will go 'poof' and you will have to deal with spiderman on your own. The question is… do you have enough chakra for a **Chidori** left?"

Sasuke concentrated on his chakra for his moment and then nodded. "Yes, but we have to hurry. Thought a **Gōkakyū **would be much easier and…"

"No", Naruto cut him of. "It has to be a **Chidori**,that guy can create a nearly indestructible armor with his spider-thread. **Chidori **is the only thing that I can think of that would have any chance to penetrate it. After all you managed to damage Gaara's sandarmor, his 'ultimate defence'."

"Then let's hope for the best…", the raven replied , watching his team mate as she rested her palms against the stone, channelling her golden colored youki into it and so consequently into Jirobo as well. On Naruto's sign Sasuke's black eyes bled red once more and he activated his **Chidori**, dipping their prison in an ominous blue light.

"Uhhh", Jirobo moaned suddenly from the outside. "Why do I feel suddenly so ill…?"

"Hey, are you alright player two?", Kidomaru questioned, thought he didn't sound very worried.

Sasuke positioned himself so that he faced the voice, giving Naruto a nod to indicate that he was ready.

"Good luck and see you later, teme", the Naruto-clone said before she channelled the last of her youki in a mighty burst into the wall and going 'poof'.

Sasuke could hear a pained cry and then a thud, a second later his prison crumbled and he wasted no moment to attack.

Kidomaru stood in his ugly curse seal level two form a few feet away from his fallen comrade, staring at him wide eyed. Sasuke rushed at him and trusted his arm forward, ready to pierce his opponents heart. He watched as the golden armor created itself, covering Kidomaru's whole body. Then the two connected.

**Chidori **vs. **Nenkin no Yoroi **

At first nothing happened and Sasuke forced even more chakra into his attack, till he had only the bare minimum to survive left. He had put everything into this last attack and if it didn't work then he was thoroughly fucked.

Then, finally, the armor began to crack. Sasuke pushed with even more force, opening the crack even wider. With one last show of strength Sasuke penetrated the formally indestructible defence, shoving his arm into his foe's chest, killing him immediately.

With a sight of relieve the raven pulled his arm out of Kidomaru, sinking to his knees in complete exhaustion. With another thud landed Kidomaru's body on the ground, slowly changing back to his normal appearance.

"I'll never use this damn curse seal", Sasuke swore as he looked at his shaking hands, one covered in thick red blood. "I won't become a monster." He looked at Kidomaru and then thought of his brother. "Not in appearance and not at heart!"

"_Yes", _thought Sasuke, clenching his hands into fists. _"I won't become like you, Itachi. I will protect what is important to me… even if it means to endanger my live and ultimately my revenge. But I won't let you win! Mangekyou be damned!!"_

* * *

**At roughly the same time in Konoha**

Kakashi and Iruka had arrived at the crime scene that was quite heavily crowded with ANBU, at least three full squads. Iruka gulped, the white masked elite of his village always frightened him a little. He was pretty sure that they wouldn't let them anywhere near the red painted gashes, but he was wrong. With a nod in Kakashi's direction the ANBU let them through. Iruka followed Kakashi a little unsure as they made their way down to the lines, sticking to the surface with chakra. It didn't add to his comfort that a squat of ANBU followed them…

He stopped himself from fidgeting nervously and concentrated on Kakashi instead. Said silver haired pervert kneeled down on one knee.

"That is not paint…", Kakashi said as he dipped two fingers into the liquid and brought it up to eyelevel, sniffing at it suspiciously. "That is…"

He wiped his fingers off on his pants before biting his thumb and making quick hand seals.

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu**!", Kakashi shouted, slamming his palm onto the ground. In a poof of smoke a little brown dog appeared.

"Yo, Kakashi", the summon said in a somewhat gruff voice, holding up a little paw in greeting.

"Pakkun, no time for pleasantries, take a sniff and tell me what you've got!", the Jonin ordered, pointing to the red covered gashes, laid -back attitude and orange book totally gone.

Pakkun did what he was told, feeling his masters agitation. He brought his nose down, inhaling the scent of the red liquid deeply. Suddenly he began to tremble, eyes wide in horror.

"Now, what is it?", the silver haired Jonin asked, tapping his foot impatiently.

"W--well it i--is fresh bl--blood, only a f--few hours old", Pakkun stuttered , not really knowing how he should give Kakashi the bad news. He turned around to face him and looked him in the eye.

"I re--really don't think that yo--you want…", Pakkun stuttered again, lowering his head to the ground, away from Kakashi's penetrating gaze.

"Who's blood is it!", Kakashi questioned now more forcefully, despite the fact that Pakkun was right, he really didn't want to know. He didn't want his bad feeling to become reality.

Suddenly a hand gripped his shoulder, squeezing softly. Iruka looked down to where the summon was sitting.

"It is Naruto's, isn't it?", the Chunin asked quietly.

"Yes", the dog replied without looking at him. "But there is other blood as well…"

Iruka's brows raised at that, something akin to hope gleamed in his eyes. If this was not all Naruto's blood, but his mixed with several others then there was hope that he was still alive, badly hurt and most like more dead than alive, but alive non the less.

"Other blood?", Iruka inquired with a strange voice.

"Sasuke and Sakura."

"No", Kakashi whispered. He picked up the startled dog by the scruff of his neck, shaking him violently. "NO! You must be mistaken!", shouted the Jonin-sensei of Team seven at his summon. Losing one student was bad enough, but all three? No… just no!

"Kakashi!", Iruka screamed. "Kakashi, STOP! You are hurting him!"

With more force then Iruka knew he possessed he pried the pug out of Kakashi's steel like grip, patting him soothing on the head once he was secure in his arms.

"Kakashi-san your summon said that the blood is still fresh and although it is quite a lot of blood the three of them might still be alive! If we find them quickly enough… then maybe…"

"You are right, I'm sorry…", Kakashi apologized, a strange haunted look in his visible eye, his body tense to keep it from trembling. He inhaled deeply, obviously to calm and collect himself. "Pakkun", he addressed his ninken, his demeanour once again in check. "Do you…"

"Yes", Pakkun answered before his master could finish his question. After all he already knew what it was that he wanted. "I can smell small traces of blood in this direction", the pug pointed to the stairs that went up the mountain, "just follow me… and pray that we are not too late." The last part the dog mumbled more to himself then to anyone else as he jumped out of Iruka's arms, thought everyone heard him. He took the lead and sprinted as fast as his short legs let him to where the scent of team seven led him. Kakashi, Iruka and the squad of ANBU hot on his trail. Pakkun had to stop a few times and sniff around since the rain had washed almost all of the scent marks away. So all he could really do was sniff for drops of blood that fell to the ground on the way from the actual crime scene to the monument. But that was not an easy task either since the rain diluted the blood and so the scent.

They took more than once a wrong turn and had to go back before they could try it again and slowly but surely Iruka lost his patience. Considering that his job was to teach a bunch of ninja wannabe's that were more interested in training than listening to him, that had to say something. But the lives of three of his ex-students were at stake and this was taking way too long for his liking.

"This takes too long!", Iruka growled finally, slamming his fist into the wall of a dead end. Pakkun halted in his steps and looked up to him with a puzzled expression on his face, well as puzzled as a little pug can actually look. Even the ANBU turned to face him, sending a small shudder down Iruka's spine. This white face masks and the long coats were just too spooky for his liking…

Composing himself again Iruka faced Kakashi who, admittedly, wore a mask too but he could at least see one eye and thus suspect what he was thinking. "Let's think rationally here for one minute. They can't lie in an ally or the patrols would have found them already, they are not in Naruto's apartment since I'm sure someone already checked there, Sakura's and Sasuke's homes are dismissed too because they both live in a totally different part of the town than we are currently in. But the attacker needed a quiet place to…"

"Of course!", Kakashi exclaimed loudly smacking his forehead. "Why haven't I thought of this earlier! The Uchiha district! It is secluded since no one lives there any longer and roughly lies in the direction that Pakkun is guiding us!"

"You are right… that is the only possible location, sempai", the ANBU commander agreed before he looked at one of his soldiers. "Go get reinforcement and a medical team!"

"Yes sir!", the meant ANBU saluted and was gone in a poof of smoke.

The ANBU commander turned once again around to face Iruka, nodding approving in his direction. "Good thinking, Iruka-san", the masked man praised. "But maybe it is better if you…"

"No", Iruka interrupted , using his strict teacher voice. With a glare that would have made the Hokage quiver in fear he rounded upon the poor commander. "You are certainly not leaving me behind! And now get your asses going before I make you!"

With that said he turned around and jumped onto the nearest roof to get as fast as possible to the Uchiha district, closely followed by Kakashi and Pakkun.

The ANBU stared at the spot that the academy teacher had occupied just moments ago in stunned silence. As the top of the villages military might they where not used to such treatment, more the opposite. Wherever they went the people got out of their way as fast as possible and would never even dream of threatening them with bodily harm and here a Chuunin academy teacher had just done that…

"I can honestly say that I am glad that he wasn't my teacher in the academy, that guy is just plain scary if he wants to be… poor students."

The others nodded in agreement before they took of to follow the worried trio.

* * *

**TBC**

**Translation:**

**Shunshin no Jutsu **- Body Flicker Technique

**Shishi Rendan - **Lion Combo

**Ninpou: Kumo Shibari - **Ninja Art: Spider Bind

**Kumo Nenkin **- Spider Sticky Gold aka Golden Spider Spines

**Kumo Sōka **- Spider Web Flower

**Doton Kekkai: Dorōodōmu** - Earth Release Barrier: Dungeon Chamber of Nothingness

**Konohagakure Hiden: Taijutsu no Ōgi: Sennen Goroshi - **Hidden Leaf Secret: Taijutsu Supreme Technique: A Thousand Years of Death

**Bakuhatsu genkotsu **- Explosion Fist

**Nenkin no Yoroi **- Armour of Sticky Gold

**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu **- Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique

**Chidori **- One Thousand Birds

**Ninken** - Ninja Dogs

**Author's Note: **That was chapter 4 and I hope the battle scenes weren't so bad because there are coming much more.

The Sakura/Naruto/Tayuya fight is next, probably a little more of Konoha and if I manage the fight between Sakon/Ukon/originalNaruto but I'm not sure jet since I plan something big and don't want to post a 10000+ chapter.

Personally I find them rather straining to read, but that's just me and I let my self gladly be convinced otherwise.

Till next time!

**Read and review (I can always need constructive criticism, signed review or not)**


	5. Chapter 5: The awakening of the Juubi

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does. 

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_Blood, gore, death and cussing… oh yeah, definitely cussing!

_**I would seriously advise not to read the first paragraph, if you don't want to find out why Naruto send Sakura and Sasuke out of the house in the third chapter, because it ain't pretty!**_

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Chapter 5: Hanyou unleashed, the awakening of the Yuubi

**Konoha, Uchiha district**

Iruka opened the unlocked door to the main house of the Uchiha-clan, immediately covering his nose. It smelled strongly of blood and death. His eyes widened and before Kakashi could even lift a single finger to stop him Iruka rushed fully inside.

He slammed open the sliding door to the living room and regretted it instantly. A strangled cry forced itself from his mouth before he sank to his knees, hands over his mouth in shock.

Kakash had followed the academy teacher, but even he froze at the sight that met his eye.

There was blood. A lot of blood.

It covered the floor, the walls, hell even the ceiling. On the wall opposite of him Sasuke was pinned with the help of kunai. They had pierced both his feet and arms, essentially crucifying him. Two more were rammed through his eyes, the blood that had seeped out of the wounds strained his cheeks, giving the appearance that he had cried bloody tears. His shirt was missing and his attacker had cut open his stomach, his entails hanging out of it.

Sakura lay at his feet, well parts of her. The kunoichi was chopped into pieces with hundreds of senbon sticking out of her flesh. Kakashi couldn't ride himself of the thought that she resembled a dog, lying loyally at the feet of its master.

And then there was Naruto. Joyful, determined Naruto.

He hung from the ceiling, Ninja-wire cutting deep into his flesh. Numerous shuriken stuck out of his stomach, his normally orange pants and black shirt red and wet from his own blood, or at least what was left of it. His blood had formed a big pool under his stomach and a smaller one under his head, someone apparently had cut his throat open.

His orange jacket lay untouched and unharmed over the armrest of the couch, the headbands of the three neatly draped over it..

Kakashi stumbled backwards out of the room, pulling Iruka with him. The chunin cried now freely and Kakashi was slightly surprised that he hadn't puked by now, because he felt like doing exactly that and he as a former ANBU captain had seen and done many disgusting things.

The ANBU squat choose that moment to barge in as well, but stopped when they saw Iruka in Kakashi's arms, face buried deep into the jonin's green flank jacket. The ANBU leader took one look into the room and sighted deeply, they were too late. Far too late.

* * *

**In the forest with one of the supposedly dead genin**

The original Naruto faced off with the apparent leader of the sound four, Sakon. They stood a few meters away from each other, both assessing their opponent carefully.

"How about you take that mask of, sweetie?", Sakon asked after a few minutes of starring. "Let's see if your face is as nice as your body."

"_Great", _the blond scowled under her mask. _"I got the perverted one. That's just my luck, I guess. First Kakashi, then Ebisu and now he…"_

"I see no point in showing my face to a dead man", Naruto answered coldly, putting on the mask of Sesshomaru now not only in physical appearance, but spiritual as well.

"Oho! But I am not dead", Sakon reminded her, slipping into his fighting stance.

"Yes you are", the blond countered, also readying herself for the fight that would take place. "You just haven't noticed yet."

"Tough words, sweetie. But judging from your chakra levels I should probably be a little more careful and activate my curse seal." Black markings started immediately to cover his body like a bacterial infection and they looked that way too.

He attacked the second his transformation was finished, closing the distance between himself and Sesshomaru in no time.

"**Tarenken**!"

Sesshomaru was ready to defend herself against the multitude of punches that the name of his attack indicated, but there was just no way to be prepared for what happened next.

Instead of an array of quick punches that followed one another she was met with an arm that spouted two additional fists, breaking her defence rather quickly as they hit her repeatedly, sending her flying. She twisted her body to land on her feet graceful like a cat. And like a cat she pounced on her prey, surprising Sakon who had assumed she would stay down a little longer, he had hit her repeatedly in the stomach with punches three times as powerful as normal after all and he did not feel any armor hidden under her clothes. So by all means she should have been at least down for a few moments.

"Guess I underestimated you even if I tried not to", Sakon stated as he dodged and parried, all the while trying to counterattack.

Sesshomaru was not able to hit him even once, all her attacks were repelled. Sometimes there even came a hand out oh his forehead or a foot out of his sides to block.

"_Close combat isn't going to work", _Sesshomaru thought worried. _"I have to keep distance and attack with long range attacks or traps… well, I think I've got something that meets the requirements perfectly…"_

Dodging one of Sakon's counter attacks she threw a smoke bomb, covering everything inside at ten meter radius in thick smoke. She used her diversion to get away into the bushes and started to make quick hand seals. "**Jiraigen**"

A seal array spread from her hands as she touched the ground and within second the mines were set and ready to blow that freaky bastard into next week.

"Come out, come out wherever you are", Sakon shouted in a sing-song voice making Sesshoumaru want to throw up. "We are not finished playing, sweetie. How about we…", Sakon started to say when a hand covered his mouth, effectively silencing him.

While Sesshomaru was thankful for that it didn't help that the hand came out of his own cheek and then that second head of his had to turn around and speak!

"We don't have much time left, Sakon. Orochimaru-sama awaits us with his new vessel so stop flirting! Hurry up and finish it!"

The second head suddenly started to relocate itself onto Sakons shoulder, transforming into an ugly red ogre-like thing with a horn on the right side of his forehead at the same time.

"You are such a spoilsport Ukon, lighten up a little, brother." Despite his words started Sakon to transform as well, sporting a horn like his 'brother' on the left side only moments later.

Sesshomaru didn't exactly know what she should feel about this little revelation, besides disgust that is.

Fittingly one of her clones choose that exact moment to disperse, returning the memories of it's fight against that spider-guy and fatso to her. Not knowing how it ended made her a little antsy but she had faith in Sasuke and his abilities. He would have won that fight in no time. She was sure of that.

A loud explosion brought her back into reality. It seems that the ogre-due set off one of her deadly mines, the poor things…

"_Well, that was kinda anti-climatic", _Sesshomaru thought, leaving her cover to inspect the corpse. "Sorry sweetie, we aren't dead jet! **Kisei Kikai no Jutsu**!"

Sesshomaru cursed herself for her carelessness. She felt suddenly ill and as she turned her head to the right side to look at her foe once again, she came face to face with Ukon. His face was only centimetre away from hers and he grinned wickedly at her.

Then it dawned Sesshomaru and panic welled up inside of her. He was in _her own _kami damned body!

HER body!!

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Sesshomaru's let loose a deafening scream that could be heard for miles. Her youki acted immediately on it's own account, flaring visibly and high around her.

Ukon screamed now as well, but he did so out of great pain. He was forcefully ejected out of her body, slamming into a nearby tree, setting off another mine as he connected with the ground

He was blasted into the air again, because of the force of the explosion, but he was caught by his brother this time, instantly fusing with him again.

"Don't you dare do that ever again!", Sesshomaru seethed, her whole body shaking in anger and disgust. "Kami that is SO repulsive!!"

She tried to calm herself down, but the knowledge that that bastard tried to destroy her from the inside wouldn't allow that, only thinking about that let her youki flare even higher.

"Are you ok, brother?", Sakon asked concerned. Ukon didn't reply, he seems to be unconscious, but his wounds disappeared slowly in front of Sesshomaru's eyes.

"You hurt my brother, now you are gonna get it!", Sakon announced, attacking with his **Tarenken **again.

He wouldn't have done such a stupid thing if he had any knowledge about youki at all, but so he learned it the hard way. The moment his fists connected with the golden colored youki he screamed bloody murder, jumping away from her. He pressed his burned hands against his chest, howling like a kicked dog.

"What the hell?!", Sakon screamed. "What the fuck is that? Chakra shouldn't be able to do that!"

"Sue me!", Sesshomaru said, creating four **Kage Bunshin**. The clones rushed the enemy, one punching the ogre-duo backwards and into the air with a cry of "U". The other three clones followed suit, one delivered a kick shouting "ZU" while another punched Sakon with a cry of "Ma" whereas the last one screamed "KI" as he kicked Sakon even higher into the air. There the real Naruto kicked him hard in the head, smashing him into the ground with a cry of "**Naruto Rendan!**"

Naruto landed gracefully on the ground a few meters away from the little crater that the ogre-duo had created on impact. "That'll teach you to never again try to mar a woman's body in that way, bastards!"

After that Sesshomaru felt a little better, but that didn't change the fact that she felt still kind of dirty. It was bad enough that she had to share her body with an eon old kitsune demon and that you could hardly compare, because she actually liked Kyuubi. But even if she didn't it would still not be the same since she only housed his spirit and youki creating the six whisker marks on her cheeks and she could live with them, but a second head? No!

Simply NO!!

Sesshomaru cracked her knuckles threateningly as she made her way to the crater to continue to beat the living shit out of Sakon and Ukon, but stopped suddenly.

The last clone's memory returned to her suddenly, making her eyes widen like dinner plates.

* * *

**Forest a few kilometre away from Naruto **

In another part of the forest Sakura and her Naruto-clone faced the foul mouthed red-head. Both had drawn a kunai, waiting for Tayuya to begin the battle.

"You are a bunch of complete and utter idiots you know that, right dip-shits?", Tayuya stated, drawing to Sakura's and Narut's surprise a flute instead of a kunai or even shuriken. "Wasting your lives for just one boy!" She laughed and bit her thumb. "You stupid bitches. **Kuchiyose no Jutsu**!"

She slammed her hand down, summoning an enormous poof of smoke and three really ugly... well, things.

Their eyes and ears were all covered either by bandages or by hair and their mouths seemed all to be sewed shut. In addition to that all displayed one of these ugly purple bows that the sound-nin seemed to like so much.

"That's not good", the blond muttered before she addressed Sakura. "Be careful, that are **Doki**. Angry Demons. Hold your distance."

With that said the blond disappeared, becoming one with the flora and leaving a gaping Sakura behind.

"But I don't have any long range jutsu!", Sakura whispered to no one in particular. She fidgeted nervously with her kunai, nearly missing the incoming attack. She managed to get away in time to dodge the mace that came crashing down with every intent to maim her. Barely…

Naruto watched from a distance, fighting the urge to sight and shake her head. That was a really pathetic display and that would have to change, because Sakura would not survive like that for very long, especially without the security provided by a ninja-village.

Kakashi, brilliant shinobi that he is, sucked completely at teaching… at least when it came to Sakura and herself.

She watched Sakura throw kunai at her attacker, trying desperately to keep her distance like she had advised her, at least she knew how to follow orders. Naruto turned to size up her red-headed foe, carefully calculating her chances to attack her directly. They where slim to say the least because she had two of the doki still by her side. She played her flute, seemingly controlling the demons solely by her melody. Other than her instrument she seemed not to carry any weapons.

"_Most likely a genjutsu mistress", _Naruto thought. _"Of all things it had to be my weak spot… well, it can't be helped."_

"**Taijū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**"

More or less two thousand Naruto's popped into existence, immediately attacking Tayuya and her doki. Tayuya's melody changed again.

The doki started to attack, squashing her clones by the dozen. They were surprisingly quick and agile for such massive… things.

"Wow, it seems that our domina-wannabe-bitch has a lot of excess chakra. Well then, lets get ride of it!", Tayuya announced as every last clone was extinguished. "I call this my 9th verse: The turmoil of the pandemonium!"

Sakura joined Naruto in her hiding place, escaping her attacker as he suddenly stopped his advances on her.

"What the hell is going on?", Sakura whispered, panting hard.

"Dunno, but it can't be good…"

They watched as the stitches of the demons mouths ripped open and released many-mouthed wormlike things.

The two team mates watched as the doki suddenly turned and started to jump directly in their direction, as if they knew without a doubt where they were hiding.

Naruto and Sakura jumped, hurling kunai and shuriken at the worms. To their utter horror their projectiles went straight through them as if they weren't real. But that they were indeed real discovered Naruto a second later, as two of the things came near her. She felt all of a sudden weaker and she could watch how her energy was sucked out of her, and the worm didn't even touch her! Instantly Naruto distanced herself from her opponent, searching for Sakura and suppressing a curse as she spotted her.

Sakura was clearly outclassed and lost her energy in a constant stream to her enemy. It wouldn't take too long till she would be too weak to dodge the constant attacks. That would be her end.

Naruto dodged again, seeing one worm coming straight through a tree.

"_Attacking them is useless, because they are mass-less ethereal matter… but attacking the doki doesn't work either, they are too strong, so there's only one way… eliminating the source."_

Readying herself for the fight, Naruto jumped over the two attacking doki and the worm things that came out of their mouths, loosing a little energy in the process, to face the red haired sound-nin directly.

"**Taijū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**" A whole army of masked Naruto's popped into existence, slowly closing in on Tayuya. "**Naruto Ninpocho; Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki**."

Tayuya's eyes widened in slight horror at the sight of at least a thousand opponents all throwing kunai at her at high speed. But before the kunai could come close enough to actually hit her she changed the melody she played on her flute and the two doki, in a burst of speed, positioned themselves in front of her, protecting her against the assault.

"Was that all you've got, slut?", Tayuya taunted as she watched the Kage Bunshin disperse into nothing but smoke. "That was a pathetic plan!"

"Well, then I'm glad that it was only the diversion", Naruto muttered from behind her, delivering a hard kick to the shocked Tayuya's head. Loosing the grip on her flute, Tayuya sailed through the air, crashing onto the ground far below. Her doki halted all movements the moment she was forced to cease her flute playing. They stood stiffen like a pillar of salt.

Naruto searched for Sakura and couldn't stop the sight this time, thought is was a sight of relief. She had broken the jutsu in time to prevent Sakura from getting completely maimed. The pink haired kunoichi had closed her eyes and her arms were raised to protect her head from the mace strike the doki was about to deliver, spirit worm hovering threateningly above her.

Sakura slowly and carefully opened an eye as the pain she expected to feel never came, only to come face to face with the frozen demon, mace only centimetres away from her head. Sakura whimpered pitifully and sank to her knees, completely drained of all her energy. A second later the doki poofed away, as did his 'brothers'.

Satisfied Naruto forced her attention back to Tayuya who desperately tried to reach her flute that lay a few meters away from her on the grass. Naruto was ready to intervene when she felt something familiar. So instead of jumping down and beating the shit out of the read head before she could reach her flute, she simply smiled and watched.

Tayuya had nearly reached her instrument. She was pretty hurt, her left leg was clearly broken from the less than soft impact on the ground and she had to crawl to reach her unconventional weapon, but a devilish smile appeared on her face nonetheless. That masked bitch would pay for what she dared to do to her, she would make sure of that. But as she tried to close her fingers around her flute someone stepped on it, effectively breaking it in half.

Tayuya's eyes widened in horror. "No…!"

Slowly she lifted her gaze from the remains of her precious flute and the black shinobi-sandal that had shattered it. She followed the leg up to a black T-shirt till her gaze finally reached the persons smirking face.

"Whoops", Sasuke's smirk got a little wider when he looked down into Tayuya's horrified face, open mouth and wide eyes all-inclusive. "I'm so sorry… did you need that?"

"Bastard!", Tayuya cursed. Her eyes sparkled with hate as she clenched her hands into fists, ready to attack Sasuke.

"Ahahah", Naruto reprimanded with a raised and waving index finger. She delivered a kick to Tayuya's abdomen, kicking her away from Sasuke as she landed beside him. "That is my line, right teme?"

"Sure, dobe."

Tayuya slammed against a tree with a sickening crack, followed by a pained cry.

"You are useless, Tayuya!", a cold voice behind them suddenly drawled, sending shivers down Naruto's spine. In one swift movement Naruto faced the new foe, kunai already in hand, but all movement died the moment she set eyes on him. "Also… where are the other three?"

A sickly pale man with white hair stood on a tree branch above them, holding what looked like a bonesword to Sakura's throat.

"Kimimaro", Tayuya breathed, spitting a little blood. "Asshole…"

"Wrong answer", Kimimaro answered coldly, his expression set in stone. "Goodbye, Tayuya. **Teshi Sendan **"

He raised his left hand and would it not have been for Sasuke's sharingan and Naruto's enhanced senses they would have never seen what ended the red heads live. Bullets made out of bone shoot out of the tips of his fingers at great speed, killing Tyuya's in the blink of an eye.

Naruto had turned her head slightly to look out of the corner of her eyes at Tayuya's shattered body, but now she turned her head back to face the cruel man in front of her.

"She was your comrade and you killed her without any emotion", addressed him the blond, her voice dripping with disgust. "A true Kaguya, I see."

"She was useless and an annoyance", the white haired man replied icily. "And what is even worse, superfluous."

Sakura's eyes widened as her brain deciphered the implication of his words. Mobilizing the last bit of her strength she slammed her elbow into his stomach, freeing herself. Unfortunately was she still weak from these spirit-ghost-things that sucked up her physical energy and did not posses the strength to jump to safety, so she simply let herself fall from the branch, counting on her team mates to catch her.

Too bad she did not count on Kimimaro coming after her, bonesword ready to strike her down.

Sasuke and Naruto went instantly into action, too. While Sasuke jumped to catch Sakura, Naruto settled for attacking Kimimaro directly to take his focus off of her team mate.

Kimimaro sensed her incoming attack and forced sharp bones out of the right side of his body, piercing Naruto like a pincushion, successfully stopping her attack.

"Gau!", Naruto tried to scream, but a sickening wet noise was all that she could produce, but to make matters worse a high pitched scream followed only seconds later.

Before the Naruto-clone finally poofed away she was able to get a good look at what had happened. Sasuke was too late to catch Sakura and bring her to safety. The Kaguya's bonesword had pierced her chest, right were her heart was, painting the sword in the dark red of her blood…

* * *

**In the forest with the original Naruto**

Sakon sighted in relief when he saw that scary girl come to a halt only a few meter away from the spot where his shattered body lay. That gave him enough time to heal himself and even if that costs him a lot of chakra it was definitely worth it. But his relief changed into horror quite quickly as he saw that strange golden aura get even more violent. It expanded even more and went sky-high, but what frightened him even more was the feeling that that chakra, or what ever it was, gave off.

It paralysed him completely, he didn't even dare to breath. It was horrible, it was bloodlust in its purest form. He watched wide eyed as her mask shattered into thousands of pieces, revealing the face of a cold blooded killer. But it was at the same time strangely fascinating and entrancing and even if he would have been able to look away, he wouldn't have done it. It simply look ethereal.

The golden eyes shimmered with righteous fury, sharp teeth fletched in a growl that brought her whiskered cheeks to vibrate. Her golden hair had lengthened and flew around her like a halo and it didn't surprise Sakon at all as a multitude of tails came out of her backside.

And as the wave of golden youki reached and killed him he felt a strange sense of satisfaction. He saw a true goddess, or was it demoness, before he left this world and he only regretted that his brother was unconscious and not able to witness this himself. The sight before him was, in his opinion, more than worth his life.

The pressure of Naruto's youki increased one last time as the tenth tail appeared, shattering her sanity and throwing her into an uncontrollable fit of rage.

Like an avenging angel flew Yuubi no Naruto through the forest, her youki clearing her way for her through cremating everything in her path.

With the high speed she was travelling with it didn't take her long to reach Sakura and Sasuke, the former being in the arms of the latter, seemingly asleep. Without even a second hesitation Yuubi attacked the wide eyed Kimimaro, cutting him with her sharp claws and poisoning him in the process. His bones shot out in a desperate attempt to defend himself but it was no use. Yuubi crushed the bones as if they were made out of paper, rendering his only weapon useless.

Blood seeped out of the wounds she inflicted on him, straining her golden tail as she encircled his throat with it, raising him high into the air, before slamming him back into the ground.

Kimimaro spitted even more blood and was only half conscious as Yuubi rammed her claws into his chest, ripping out his still beating heart.

"Naruto?", Sasuke asked, trying desperately to stop his voice from shaking.

The being in front of him didn't react at first, but a second unsure "Dobe?" brought the desirable effect.

Ten tails suddenly stopped their violent trashing and Yuubi turned to face him. Sasuke forced himself not to flinch away, he was an Uchiha after all and had to hold up appearance, but the truth was that he would not have been able to do so much as blink even if he wanted to. He was frozen in place. And for the first time he understood why the elder villagers panicked every time when you did so much as mention the word kitsune.

But at the same time he felt strangely calm. He felt secure and protected, as if nothing in the world could harm him and not a bit frightened. Sure he was scared, he had seen her ripping out a guy's heart in a matter of seconds after all, but he did not feel the evil that was supposed to surround her like an invisible cloak.

The very few times he heard grownups talk about the Kyuubi attack they always described that a feeling of utter terror and bloodlust had washed over them. He had believed them and judging from Kimimaro's expression he had felt something similar, but then… why didn't he?

Could it be that Naruto protected him somehow?

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed that Narto had kneeled down besides him and Sakura.

"Dobe, she's…" He had to stop, he simply couldn't follow that train of thoughts to the end or he would break down. Kami, he hadn't imagined that it would hurt so bad to loose a team mate, he thought after the death of his whole family that all his emotion had died with them and that he wouldn't be able to feel so much pain ever again. Apparently he was wrong.

It hurt, it hurt so much.

True, Sakura had always annoyed him with her constant begging for a date, but now he was ready to go on one with her if only she would open her eyes.

A lone tear escaped his eyes and a long, elegant finger caught it before it could drop to the ground. Sasuke raised his head, looking straight into two beautiful golden orbs. Yuubi smiled warmly at him, nodding her head reassuringly at him. The tear on the tip of her finger suddenly started to glow and Yuubi gently placed it on Sakura's lips.

At first nothing happened, but then Sakura's chest rose suddenly and a little moan escaped her lips. As impossible as that was, it didn't matter to the raven. He smiled for the first time in years, not a smirk, but a true smile.

Yuubi smiled too, gliding her hand soothingly through Sakura's hair, before she suddenly slumped to the ground. The golden youki disappeared and with it the tails and the two golden furred ears that were nearly invisible on her head being surrounded by golden locks.

Sasuke could only guess that her eye color had changed back to normal as well, thought he was slightly confused that her hair remained long.

He inspected Sakura's wound and was pleased when he discovered that it was completely gone, thought she was still asleep. The fight and her death must have taken a lot out of her when her chakra levels were any indicator.

He carefully heaved Sakura on his left shoulder, then he proceeded to pick up the unconscious Naruto and placed her over his right shoulder.

He himself was tired too, emotionally and physically, but he knew that he couldn't remain there. Someone was prone to have noticed the colossal release of power and would surely come to investigated.

He preferred to be long gone when they arrived.

Summoning the last bit of his reserves Sasuke jumped into the trees, carrying his two team mates, no… his two friend, to safety.

* * *

**TBC**

**Author's Note:** Finally the 'introduction'- arc is over! They are out of Konoha, trashed Orochimaru's goons real good and discovered one of Naruto's secrets.

Now the real story is about to begin! Thought they will meet Tsunade and Jiraiya in Tanzaku Gai, but of course I have planed a few original things that will happen while they stay there.

Well, hopefully I'll see you next time, till then bye bye!

And please Read and review, because I need to know if you like the story or if something seriously pisses you off

(besides I can always need constructive criticism, signed review or not)

**Translation:**

**Yuubi **- Ten tails

**Doki **- Angry Demons

**kunoichi **- female ninja

**Teshi Sendan **- Finger Bullet Drill

**Tarenken** - Multiple Connecting Punches

**Kuchiyose no Jutsu** - Summoning Technique

**Uzumaki Naruto Rendan **- Uzumaki Naruto Combo

**Kisei Kikai no Jutsu **- Parasite Demon Demolition Technique

**Taijū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu **- Multiple Shadow Clone Technique

**Naruto Ninpocho; Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki **- Naruto's Ninja Art; All Direction, High Volume (Many) Shuriken Firing

**Jiraigen - **Minefield: (Not canon) Touching the ground the user spreads mines across an area. The more charkra is put into this trap, the more mines can be created, but it is also possible to enlarge the radius in which the mines are positioned. The user is also aware of the position of the mines.


	6. Chapter 6: On the dark side of the fence

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does. **

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: None that I can think of. **_

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Chapter 6: On the dark side of the fence

In a dark study, only lit by candlelight, sat Elder Danzou behind a heavy oak desk, clutching a few sheets of paper in his one hand, studying them intently. Only eight pages documented Sesshomaru's success in her assigned mission. The Kyuubi-brat was no more, officially the council was never involved and no one would be ever any the wiser. The situation was almost perfect. Almost.

Only two small vexations soured Danzou's mood. One could be corrected on a later date, after all locating and apprehending Sesshomaru, while complicated and by no means an easy task, was at least possible. Bringing someone back to live was considerably more difficult, if not impossible.

Danzou sighted, glancing to the dossier that lay on his desk. It sported a picture of Sesshomaru in the right corner along with big red letters classifying it as 'top-secret'.

In all other cases, Danzou would have highly appreciated such a dedication to a mission, but this time he wished Sesshomaru hadn't taken her name so literally. While no one would care about the untimely end of Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke was an entirely different matter. Personally he wasn't too upset that the little bugger was finally offed, since he was one of the council members who thought that he should have died along with the rest of his clan years ago. Unfortunately did neither the general populace nor Uchiha Itache share that sentiment. And that was were the problems would arise. True, the villagers would mourn for a while and then slowly forget, but the elder Uchiha brother would not forget and he would surely not forgive. Should he learn of his brothers death he would seek retribution and unfortunately he would seek it from him, he made that much clear before he left the village.

Danzou sighted again, staring almost longingly at the picture of the mysterious Sesshomaru. Taking someone like Uchiha Itachi down was a difficult and dangerous task, downright suicidal if one wasn't up to par.

It would be Sesshomaru's first assignment when she was under his… care. Till then keeping the elder Uchiha in the dark was one of his top priorities.

Then there was Orochimaru. Danzou regretted that he would not be able to see the traitors face should he, despite all odds, learn of his little pet-to-be's demise. All of his great plans thwarted by one little girl, quite disgraceful, really. But it was beneficial to Danzou's own plans and really, that was all that counted for the old war hawk. If he was lucky Orochimaru and the Uchiha would dispose of each other, leaving him to reap the benefit.

Suddenly a knock interrupted the heavy silence and Danzou's thoughts. "Enter."

Danzou heard the door open and close silently, but made no move to acknowledge the presence of his visitor. Instead he took his time lying the report down on his desk, only then did he look up. He was met with the sight of one of his operatives, dressed in full ANBU attire, kneeling in front of his desk, patiently waiting for his attention.

"Hyou", acknowledged Danzou finally. "I hope you bring good news." He motioned for him to get up and stand at ease. "Report!"

"The mission was a failure, master Danzou, Team Alpha 7 was the last to report in and they lost contact near Sector 49."

"_Shūmatsu no Tani? _The Valley of the End?"

"Yes, master.", confirmed Hyou. "A big fight was underway when they searched that parameter, attracting their attention."

"Sesshomaru?", inquired Danzou.

"Presumably. They were not able to further investigate till after the fight."

Danzou frowned at that. "And why not?"

"Shortly after they spotted a golden chakra pillar reaching into the sky, they were hit with what they described as a 'chakra wave'. They were knocked out and awoke after the battle ended."

An eyebrow rose at that but instead of commenting, Danzou simply motioned for him to continue. "They investigated and found four more or less maimed body's along with a sight of great devastation and-", Hyou took a deep breath. "And the shattered remains of Sesshomaru-sama's mask."

"Could they identify the fools that were stupid enough to antagonize Sesshomaru?", Danzou asked calmly and without any acknowledgement for the dead. Soldiers after all were replaceable, save a precious few, like Sesshomaru herself. "I take it it were none of our people?"

"No, they were identified as members of the sound four, high chuunin to jounin level nin. They took part in the joined invasion of Suna and Oto and were directly involved in the death of Sarutobi Hiruzen at the hand of the traitor Orochimaru."

Danzou leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eye in suspicion.

"Orochimaru was involved?", he asked no one in particular. "That is worrisome. Sesshomaru in the hands of the likes of the traitor Orochimaru is a thought that lets me shudder."

"True, master", agreed Hyou, "but there is no indication that he has her. His troops were maimed and Sesshomaru more than likely disappeared unharmed, covering her tracks."

Danzou clenched and unclenched his fist in agitation. Team Alpha 7 contained one of his best trackers, his prodigy so to speak. "Are you telling me that your protégé is unable to locate her? He did so a few times before and now he suddenly falls for her tricks?"

"Of course not, master", amended Hyou. "But the chakra residue disabled every attempt at persecution."

The old war hawks eye widened a fraction. "Chakra residue?", he breathed. The last being that was powerful enough to leave lingering chakra behind even after it disappeared was the Kyuubi. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, they were even able to collect a sample for further investigation."

The Ne leader relaxed again in his comfortable chair, a rare smirk playing around the corner of his lips as plans and possibilities flew through his mind. He could not wait till he had Seshomaru in his hand and obediently following his every whim. Maybe he would partner her with his prodigy… perhaps for more than missions.

To this day he still regretted not getting his hands on the young Namikaze Minato, a child of his would have been worth an army, much like its father had been. He metally shook his head, banishing such foolish thoughts. It was no use mourning past failures, especially when the future looked so bright. Oh yes, he couldn't wait till the little beast was apprehended, broken and reconditioned.

"Send word to all teams", ordered Danzo. Hyou straightened immediately, staying at attention while he received his orders. "They have order to search the neighbouring villages, leave no Stone on its place. I want her found and I want her found NOW!"

"Hai, Danzou-sama!"

* * *

Nearly at the same time another meeting took place, but this one far away from Hi no Kuni. Nine people stood on the fingertips of two big chained stone hands protruding out of the ground of a colossal cave. They all stood with their hands in a seal, their body's refracting an array of spectral colors, much like a rainbow, indicating that they were not physically there.

"Zetsu", spoke the figure standing on the right thumb. His astral projection distorted and flickered with every word. "You called for this meeting, report."

"_Yes, I did", _answered the black colored half of Zetsu. _"It seems that we have encountered a small problem."_ His white half snorted at that. "Small? Ahahahahaha!"

"_Don't laugh!"_

"Oh…. spoilsport!"

"Stop this pointless bickering and start reporting", interrupted the stern voice of the leader. "Now."

"_The Kyuubi Jinchūriki is dead."_

There was a dead silence.

"WHAT?!", beloved the tallest one of the nine, being the first to regain his voice.

"Dead, gone, no longer with us", sneered Zetsu. "Take your pick, or shall I continue?"

"Why you little-"

"Kisame", warned a cold monotone voice.

"But Itachi!", whined Kisame in a tone befitting a three year old. "He started it!"

The elder Uchiha raised a delicate eyebrow at that and only "hned" in answer, dismissing his partners childish behaviour. Thought his monosyllabic reprimand had the desired effect. Kisame pouted, but had the decency to shut up.

Zetsu snorted again. "You're so whipped, dude!"

A few chuckles could be heard and Kisame's cheeks turned a light pink.

"SILENCE!", thundered the Leader. "We have fare more important matters to discuss than your personal shortcomings!" He levelled both Kisame and Zetsu with a glare, hopefully silencing all further protests. "Good… Now on to the important matters."

He looked sternly at Zetsu. "Are you sure that your information is reliable? It could be a ploy to throw us off."

"_Of course I'm sure"_, replied Zetsu's black half, while the white continued. "I saw the body with my own eyes. And not only his."

"Care to elaborate?"

"_Well, someone butchered his whole team, save the sensei. I watched as the ANBU took away the body's"_, replied Zetsu. "Or rather what remained of them."

The leader sighted, narrowing his eyes in thought. "But there is still a possibility that the body's were fake, Sasori?

"Creating a fake body is an art in an of itself", stated a gruff sounding voice. "Difficult, but possible. An resourceful village like Konohagakure would have at least one nin versed in the art."

"_True", _conceded Zetsu. _"A human body can be duplicated _the Kyuubi's youki however not", finished his whit half in a sing-song voice.

The Leader glared at him again before redirecting his gaze to the elder Uchiha. "Kyuubi is an immortal being, so hopefully he must still be sealed inside the dead body. But we won't know that for sure till we examine the seal. Itachi, Kisame your assignment did not change, bring me the boy- the rest of you continues with what they were doing. Dismissed."

* * *

**TBC**

**Facts: **I made the valley of the end sector 49 for a reason, and yes, I really do give thought to something so unimportant. Japanese don't like the number 4 (shi) and 9 (ku) because shi translates to death and ku to sorrow. I found it rather fitting, don't you agree?

**Translation:**

_Shūmatsu no Tani - _The Valley of the End

_Gentōshin no Jutsu - _Magic Lantern Body Technique (that projection thing the Akatsuki do in this chapter)

**Author's Note:** Another chapter done after a relatively long pause. Hope you liked it!

So please **review even if you have not an account, anonymous reviews are always welcome, too.**


	7. Chapter 7: Rebirth by sleep

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does. **

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_None

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Chapter 7: Rebirth by sleep

Naruto slowly regained consciousness with a small groan escaping her parted lips. She felt warmth surrounding her, something soft and fuzzy enclosed her body like a blanket. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing unfocused sky-blue orbs. "What happened?" The blond asked in a soft voice.

"**Konoha's number one most unpredictable ninja, that is what happened."**

"Kyuubi?"

The voice chuckled lowly. **"Who else?"**

Naruto sighted and relaxed the muscles she had unconsciously tensed, snuggling deeper into the tails that were gently pressing her to Kyuubi'y warm body. "Once again, what happened?"

"**You know, every time you come in here you ask the same superfluous question. Let me tell you once and for all-"**

Naruto groaned, clearly fed up with Kyuubi avoiding a direct answer. "Stop staling and tell me what happened." After a moment of hesitation she added. "Please."

It was no use forcing Kyuubi to give a straight answer he did not want to give. In that regard he could be like a cat, cunningly dancing around the main topic, never giving a straight answer, only hinting, that is **if** and only **if** he felt like it. It was unnerving at times and just plain annoying the rest.

"**Hmmmmm," **the fox hummed. Silently debating if he should comply with her demand. He shifted a little, tightening his tails carefully around Naruto. **"Let me ask you a question first."** Kyuubi shifted his tails again, righting Naruto so that she was facing him, then withdrawing completely. Naruto pouted at the loss, but choose not to comment. **"What do you know about kitsune mythologies, kitten?"**

Naruto involuntarily raised a questioning eyebrow. What has that got to do with anything? "What-?"

"**Just answer the question."**

"Well, you know…. ehmmm," Naruto hemed and hawed around a few moments before Kyuubi finally interrupted her.

"**You never bothered to research kitsune mythology, did you?"**

Naruto shrugged unfazed. "I was never one for children's stories, sorry," she answered flippant. "There was never anyone there to read them to me."

Kyuubi choose to ignore the jibe, after all, it was true. No point arguing the truth. **"Not all are children's stories, most are anything but. And while not everything those mentally deficient ningen documented is entirely truthful, small portions are."**

Naruto felt compelled to roll her eyes. Kyuubi's opinion of humans was low at its best.

"And pray tell, what portions would that be?"

"**Kitsune are tricksters, with motives that vary from mischief to malevolence, but they always keep their promises," **the youkai replied, his slitted pupils and blood red iris giving off an almost incandescent, unearthly glow. With a small puff of smoke the demon was gone, in his place stood a tall, red haired man, clad in a youkata that matched the colour of Kyuubi's normal coat. Crossing the small distance his transformation had created between them, Kyuubi draped one arm around Naruto's shoulders, pressing their body's together again, but this time not in an innocent manner. At all. "Also we are masters of seduction," Kyuubi purred into her ear.

Naruto shoved him away roughly. "Can we give your overworked sense of self-grandeur a rest?"

"Killjoy," Kyuubi muttered mock sulkily.

"Oh please," Naruto sighed. "How old are you? Four? Stomp your foot and I'll make it five."

She was not able to resist Kyuubi's allurement completely, despite her words, so she had to look away. Kyuubi very rarely choose to appear in human form and that was a good thing. Kyuubi's human form was truly gorgeous and a fully grown woman would have next to no chance to withstand the onslaught of hormones his presence alone created. Sadly, the body of a pubescent almost-teenager had even less of a chance.

"Oh," Kyuubi cooed. "Do I make you uncomfortable, kitten?"

Naruto exhaled sharply. "Yes," the blond growled. "And you know it!"

"That I do," the demon lord acknowledged with a triumphant smile. "It was the point after all."

"Tricksters, huh?"

Kyuubi chuckled lightly. "Yes, but this appearance does serve another purpose other than making you uneasy, kitten." Suddenly one of his tails appeared behind him and wrapped itself around one of the bars. Satisfied, Kyuubi looked back to Naruto and beckoned her to follow him. "I want to show you something."

Stunned, Naruto observed how he passed the bars of his prison without even faltering in his steps. That shouldn't be possible. Naruto blinked a few times, before she shrugged and stood up on shaky legs to follow him. Kyuubi waited for her at the edge of the forest that was her mind. Her eyes wandered from his form to the tail still firmly wrapped around a bar and back again to his smiling face.

"Trickster, indeed," Naruto said dryly, stepping up to him. "Good thing you are on my side."

Kyuubi's smile widened even more. He ruffled her hair affectionately for a moment before he led her further into the forest.

"Don't worry, I can not access all of your mind, my tails have a limited length after all, but it is enough for our little excursion."

"What would happen if your tail let go?" Naruto asked out of curiosity.

Kyuubi made a face. "Nothing pleasant, I can assure you. The seal was not only created to keep me imprisoned inside of you, but to protect you from me at the same time." Kyuubi gestured in the direction of his tail. "It is not flawless, as you can see, but remarkably none the less. While I am currently successfully tricking it into believing that I am still inside the bars, the consequences of **actually** trying to leave the bars are… irksome."

"So you actually tried it?" The blond pressed.

Kyuubi halted his steps and looked down to Naruto. "You have to understand that I was not pleased to find myself in this predicament, kitten. I raged and tried to break out several times. Obviously I never succeeded, thanks to the accused seal Blondy put on us. After a while I stopped."

"Why?"

It was an innocent enough question to asked, but hard to answer. At least for Kyuubi. Why had he stopped trying to escape? Of course he knew why. He had had time enough to ponder this question, however nothing in the world would ever get him to say it out loud. But he knew exactly why. Because she wasn't like other ningen, she wasn't lidded or shallow or backstabbing, no, she was independent, intelligent and strong willed. Even as a small child. A single word from her could get him riled up like no other, but a single smile of hers could calm him in a heartbeat. She had a temper the likes of which would be every bijou's envy and an aura that would cast shadow on even the most sacred of kami's creations. But he would never tell her that, so he settled for a nondescript, "Because."

Naruto raised a golden eyebrow. "You are not being very forthcoming."

"Really?" Kyuubi asked with complete sincerity. "Let's move on to the less obvious then, shall we?" He resumed walking, successfully preventing Naruto from asking any more questions. Naruto on the other hand sighted deeply, decided to leave it at that, and continued to follow him. A minute later she nearly bumped into Kyuubi. He had stopped in front of a clearing of sorts. Amidst the crystal clear water that covered the ground of her mindscape arose an island far bigger than the ones surrounding it. The tree that stood on said island was much bigger than the others, and emitted a soft golden and dark blue glow, that seemingly danced around one another, occasionally blending into one.

"Where are we?" Naruto whispered, awed by the sight in front of her.

Kyuubi half turned towards her, smiling slightly. "We are in the center of your being. What you see there," Kyuubi said softly, gesturing to the tree, "is the representation of your 'soul'. The source of your chakra." Kyuubi put a hand on her shoulder, a strange expression in his eyes. No, it was not one expression, but a mix of many. Shame, worry, relief, pride and a few she could not decipher. "And the source of your youki."

Naruto frowned in thought. "I thought you were the source of my youki?"

"Well, no," Kyuubi stated bluntly. "Naruto, there is no easy way to put it, so I'll ask you directly; Do you remember the day when we first met?"

"I don't know what that has to do with anything," the blond answered defensively, lips pressed tightly together.

"Everything, kitten, basically everything."

"I remember." A far away look entered Naruto's beautiful eyes. She pushed Kyuubi's hand from her shoulder and sat down in the soft grass. "It was the sixth anniversary of your defeat, my sixth birthday and the day I nearly died…"

* * *

The tenth of October was a beautiful autumn day that year. The leaves shimmered in a rich red and gold, painting the streets of konoha in beautiful colors.

Above all the stone heads of the Hokage were enthroned, seemingly watching the excitement below. But they were not the only ones watching the city from a dizzy height. Hidden among the spiky stone-hair of the Yondaime sat a little blond boy, staring longingly at the festivities.

Every mother or even father would have had a heart attack, seeing their young son sitting there, but this boy was different, this boy had no parents. No one that would be worried about him. Sure, the Sandaime Hokage was nice to him, but he was always busy. Especially on this day.

The anniversary of the Kyuubi's defeat.

The death day of many brave shinobi.

The day Konoha lost it's greatest hero, the Yondaime Hokage.

And the birthday of a small blond boy.

Naruto sighed and rested his head on his knees, which he had drawn to his chest, his arms slung loosely around his legs.

This should have been a happy day for him, but it was anything but. And it was about to get even worse.

A noise behind him caused Naruto to spin his head around. What he saw made his blood run cold. He scrambled to his feet, eyes wide with fright. He backed off till his back hit one of the stone spikes.

In front of him stood three chunin, the Uchiha-crest embroidered proudly on their shirts and the famous Uchiha smirk fast in place.

"My, my! What do we have here?" The one in the forefront sneered, undoubtedly the team leader. "Someone let the little mongrel loose. How _nice_ of them."

His team mates smiled nastily, slowly closing in on Naruto, effectively caging him. Naruto on the other had pressed himself as flat against the stone as humanly possible, whishing almost feverishly that he could simply sink into the stone and disappear. He knew those three from previous encounters and they were brutal. A hand closed around his throat before he could react, cutting of his air supply and pulling him up so that he was eyelevel. Naruto trashed around, futilely trying to dislodge the hold around his windpipe. His hands griped his attackers, trying to pry them of or at least to get them loose enough to suck in some much needed air. Flecks of light already started to appear and his vision got fuzzy at the edges.

"Someone probably got tired of looking at _it_," the leader whispered cruelly into his ear, his breath tickling Naruto's skin in an unpleasant way. "Let's make sure they never have to again, shall we boys?"

Naruto heard them laugh and then the pressure around his throat disappeared. He expected to hit the ground hard and braced himself for the impact, but nothing happened. He simply kept falling. He opened his eyes, which he hadn't even noticed that he'd closed them in the first place, in shock and comprehension.

They had dropped him from the monument!

He tried to scream, but his throat was too sore and the only noise that escaped his lips was a hoarse gasp.

* * *

"The next thing I remember is excruciating pain and then meeting you."

Kyuubi hmmed again, sitting gracefully down next to her. "But that is not all that happened. You were so badly hurt that you would have died had I not intervened."

"So that was the first time you healed me with your youki?"

"Yes, I healed you with my youki and I even cushioned your impact on the ground as much as I could, but I did more. _Far_ more."

* * *

The live threatening situation triggered the seal, causing Naruto's consciousness to slip into his mindscape. The moment his astral body appeared in the sever like representation of his mind Kyuubi took action. He send a tail to pick up Naruto with great care and carried him through the bars. After he set him down, Kyuubi immediately changed into his human form. He kneeled down besides him and gently inspected the wounds. After a moment he shook his head and stood up again. He closed his eyes, massaging them with thumb and middle finger.

Naruto's wounds were severe and even with the regeneration that Kyuubi provided, it was hard to tell if he would make it past this day. Coming to a decision, he opened his eyes.

"I, Kyuubi no Kitsune, Demon Lord of Makai and Kami of fire enact the rite of adoption. So mote it be!"

His loud voice reverberated from the walls. For an agonising moment nothing happened and Kyuubi contemplated repeating the incantation when a blinding light flashed and enveloped the two.

When Kyuubi could see again he was in a dark space, Naruto nowhere in sight. He tried to remain calm, repeating in his head over and over again that this was a part of the ritual and that he needed to control his protective urges. He did not have to wait long before his patience was rewarded. The air before him began to shimmer and then parted like a curtain to reveal a white clad being with wild, mane like hair.

"What are _you _doing here," Kyuubi snarled defensively, flattening his ears to his skull and baring his teeth dangerously.

"Now, now, Lord Kyuubi," the death god chastised, "such a behaviour is unbecoming for someone of your status."

Shinigami paused, trying to suppress the smirk that threatened to show on his lips as he savoured the sight of the nearly seething demon king. "You ought to behave yourself, after all it is you that came to me."

That only fuelled the rage Kyuubi felt bubbling inside of him by the mere sight of the death god, the one that sealed him away, degrading him to something even less than a spirit. And now he had the audacity to criticise his demeanour, the nerve!

Flexing his claws, the demon king had all intentions of teaching death to die. After all death held little to no meaning to him, immortality certainly had its perks.

"I sense hostility," the god commented in a detached voice. All traces of a smirk were gone, replaced by the cold and indifferent masked normally associated with death. "And here I had the impression that you called me to assist you in a crucial matter and not to enact petty vengeance."

Fury flashed in his gaze and Kyuub's expression turned even darker than before, but he didn't do anything more than flex his claws again, the knuckles cracking loudly in the silence after the death gods words.

"I do not require your _aid_ for anything, _kami,_" the demon spat viciously. "Do not flatter yourself."

Shinigami chuckled humourlessly, causing Kyuubi to growl low in his throat.

"On the contrary, Lord Kyuubi," the death god mocked. "You need my assistance more than you realise, after all," he shifted a little, revealing a small, motionless body lying on the floor , "it is you that desires something of mine."

"Naruto!" Kyuubi wanted so badly to introduce the kami to his claws and rip him apart, but refrained from doing so. Unlike Kyuubi, Naruto was mortal. And like all mortals easily hurt… Too easy.

Kyuubi stared intently at the usual bundle of energy lying completely still on the cold, hard ground before he shifted his gaze back to Shinigami.

His eyes blazed with barely restrained fury as he snarled dangerously at the kami, his nine tails trashing dangerously behind him. "What did you do to him!"

His muscles tensed further and his growl deepened as he watched Shinigami bent down to cares the blonds face lightly, tracing the faint whisker marks on his right cheek.

"You do realise that, if you continue on the path you intend to travel, nothing will be the same ever again," the god spoke, completely disregarding Kyuubi's words. "If you succeed not only will she undergo a great change," Shinigami looked up and straight into Kyuubi's eyes, "but you as well. You and the child will be changed forever, with your blood running through his veins, your family shall truly be his family." Suddenly a dark glint appeared in the normally expressionless eyes of the death god as he looked from Kyuubi to Naruto and back again. "That is, if you survive the ceremony."

The evil smirk that played around Shinigami's lips send involuntary shivers down Kyuubi's spine, thought he adopted a frown nonetheless.

"Speaking in terms that you are able to comprehend, Lord Kyuubi," the kami elaborated, purposefully interpreting Kyuubi's frown as a sign of incomprehension," you could both die."

Kyuubi adopted a superior smirk, narrowing his eyes at the god. "That is preposterous, Shinigami, I am an immortal being." His smirk widened a little more. "Or in terms that _you _are able to comprehend, I am unable to perish."

"That is were you are mistaken. Despite the fact that the ritual you intend to perform is named ‚demon adoption ritual' it is a holy ceremony, calling on the blessing of the great kami." He levelled Kyuubi with a piercing stare. "You may rival me in shear power and succeed in avoiding my … _invitation_ to join me in my realm, but that does not change the fact that the great kami can destroy you with barely more than a thought." Shinigami bent down again, this time placing the dagger, he usually carried in his mouth the rare instances he was summoned by humankind, into Naruto's right hand before he straightened again. "Everything has it's price, Lord Kyuubi, we shall see what you are willing to pay." With that said he vanished, the only indication that he was ever there being the dagger resting in Naruto's small hand, his fingers curled tightly around it. "We shall see…"

Kyuubi stared at the space the death god had previously occupied, trying to make sense of his words. They sounded like a warning, oddly enough. Since when did the death god care about anything other than death?

Repressing a shrug of his shoulders, because it was undignified for a Lord to do something so common, even thought no one could see him at the moment. It simply did not do to start bad habits, besides who knew where Shinigami went to. For all that Kyuubi knew he could be spying on him, than insufferable little _kami_!

He shifted his gaze back towards the kit whom he was doing all of this for and his eyes softened instantly.

"Naruto," Kyuubi muttered, closing the short distance that separated them in three powerful strides. Gracefully kneeling down besides him, he reached out to try and wake him from his slumber. However, before he could make contact with his skin he had to pull his hand back.

Fascinated he stared at the small cut marring his hand and the blood slowly dripping down to the ground.

He looked up from his hand to come face to face with more of it, glistening on the smooth surface of a dagger.

Shinigami's dagger.

In Naruto's hand.

His eyes widened as he looked at the little boy that stood unnaturally still in front of him, his head bent slightly downwards so that his hair shadowed most of her small face.

"Naruto?"

The blond lifted his head to reveal his beautiful blue eyes, looking up at him.

Kyuubi recoiled at the sight as if he had been burned. The expression in his eyes… He could not seem to find words to describe what he felt. Never, not once in his immortal life, had he ever felt like it before.

_**Is this fear? **_wondered Kyuubi. _**Is this what ningen feel when they encounter me? Am I frightened?**_

Evading another swipe of the lethal weapon with a jump backwards, Kyuubi was forced out of his musing. Naruto had fallen into a fighting stance, handling the dagger like he would a kunai. His blue eyes blazed with unrepressed hatred that made Kyuubi's heart clench and his throat constrict almost painfully. He side stepped another attempt on his life, because that is, what it was. The dagger he wielded was one of the only things able to hurt him, a present from the great kami to Shinigami. The blood on his hand was proof enough to extinguish any doubt.

"Naruto, stop this nonsense!" Kyuubi ordered, his tone a little harsher than he intended it to be. "Stop it immediately!"

Another swipe with the dagger, this time really close, was his only reply. That and an angry growl, probably because he missed again.

"I don't know what he did to you, but this is not you!" Kyuubi shouted, sounding almost pleading. He simply refused to believe that he could not get through to him. Naruto was never this violent, not even when the stupid villagers picked on him. He smiled and laughed, hiding his anguish. "This is **not **you!!"

Naruto paused, thought he did not relax his stance. "Yes it is," Naruto answered simply.

"I hate you, demon, I hate you so much."

Kyuubi was taken aback. Never before had he seen him so serious and his words… no, this could not be Naruto. This was not his kit.

"It is all your fault. Every cold glance, every hurtful word, every hateful thing ever said or done to me. It was done because of **you,**" the blond whispered. "Every time they looked at me they saw not **me**, they saw **you**. They relived the death of their loved ones, the terror they felt as you flooded the village with your dreadful youki and the loss of their greatest hero. They loath you so much, kitsune, but not as much as **I** do!"

Naruto lowered his gaze to the dagger in his hand, glistening with the demon's blood. His hair fell forward again, covering his blue orbs from prying eyes.

"You took everything from me. If it weren't for you, I would still have a family." Naruto inhaled deeply to try and compose himself. The hand holding the dagger shook slightly while he balled the other to a fist to stop the same happening there. "A loving mother who would not have died in childbirth, because all medics were busy treating the wounds of shinobi that were injured fighting against **you** to protect their village. A devoted father who would not have died fighting **you** to protect his wife and unborn daughter. Real friends, that would not have been dragged away as soon as someone saw them speaking to me. A village that would not have prayed that I accidentally stab myself to death every time I was training. I could have had a normal childhood if it had not been for **YOU!**" Naruto whipped his head up and stared Kyuubi right in the eyes. Tears cascaded down his small face. "When you are gone, then I'm free," the little boy choked out. "You want to really help me?" Naruto asked, gripping the dagger with both hands. "Then **DIE!"**

With that, Naruto charged, aiming his dagger straight for the demon's heart. Kyuubi tensed, ready to fight or flight.

He did neither.

The dagger pierced Kyuubi's skin with a sickening noise, embedding itself to the hilt in his soft flesh. A pained noise escaped the demon's lips, along with a small gust of blood. Slowly he sunk to his knees, wrapping his arms carefully around the small form of Naruto, hugging him close.

Naruto sobbed pitifully, still grasping the dagger. "Why?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Because I want to see you happy," Kyuubi answered with a strained voice. Gently he lifted his pony with a trembling and bloodied hand and placed a small kiss on his kits forehead. "My kit…"

The greatest of the nine bijuu, the king of demons and kami of fire closed his eyes. He could feel his heartbeat slowing down, before it stopped completely. He slumped over the stunned form of his chosen kit, burying him half under his lifeless body, a content smile on his lips.

Naruto meanwhile was speechless. He could have dodged the attack effortlessly, he could have counter attacked and kill him, freeing himself from the burden that was a weak little ningen child without repercussion.

But he chose not to.

A smile formed on the lips of the blond, not a malicious one, no, this one was genuine. The next moment he was gone, taking the dagger with him.

Kyuubi slumped to the ground, the wound on his hand and chest closing up almost instantly. A moment later Kyuubi's chest started to rise and sink and a small groan escaped his lips. His eyes fluttered open, revealing confused, red orbs.

"What happened?" Kyuubi asked disorientated and to no one in particular as he tried to push himself up.

"You died," the disembodied voice of the Shinigami answered, astonishment evident in his voice. In a flash he appeared besides the fallen demon, cradling a seemingly asleep Naruto in his arms. "I must admit that you surprised me, Lord Kyuubi. You are the first demon that was selfless enough to sacrifice his life for another being, especially a ningen." While the death god spoke Kyuubi had mustered the strength to push himself up into a sitting position. "The question is… why?"

Meanwhile Kyuubi did not seem to listen to a single word that was spoken, rather he stared at his kit in the arms of the death god. He reached out to touch one of his cheeks as if he could not believe that he was really there.

"Naruto."

Shinigami sighted and bent down to hand the blond over to his new father. Said father took him gently from Shinigami and cradled him protectively in his arms.

"You will pay for using him in that way, Shinigami!" Kyuubi promised softly, not taking his eyes off of his kit.

"But it was not Naruto that you fought, Kyuubi," a different voice than the Shinigami dissented. "It was **me**."

The darkness parted again, revealing a person Kyuubi had least expected to see. He leaned further over Naruto, shielding him with his own body. "**YOU! **What are **you **doing here?"

* * *

**TBC**

**Translation: **

**_Makai_ (魔界?) - the supernatural world where yōkai (demons) live**

**Ningen - human**

**Author's Note: **Not much action, but essential character building. And YES I know that I switched to Naruto's male form, that was intentional and will be explained in the next chapter.

The next chapter is already written so it should be out in two weeks at the latest. That's because I have to travel to Bavaria for a week. My great-uncle died yesterday and I volunteered to play taxi driver for my grandparents. From north Germany to south Germany, that's about 12 hours of driving. Oh joy. Unfortunately there I have no internet connection, so you'll have to wait.

And please **Read and review**, because I need to know if you like the story or if something seriously pisses you off (besides I can always need constructive criticism, signed review or not)


	8. Chapter 8: Into a new future

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does.

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_None

* * *

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Chapter 8: Into a new future

The darkness parted again, revealing a person Kyuubi had least expected to see. He leaned further over Naruto, shielding him with his own body. "**YOU! **What are you doing here?"

"Testing you."

"TESTING ME!?" Kyuubi roared outraged.

"Yes, testing you," the newcomer repeated calmly.

"Why?"

"Because Shinigami-sama asked me to," the blond man replied. "I was quite shocked when he asked me, I assure you."

Kyuubi bared his teeth. "What are you talking about?"

Yondaime chuckled humourlessly. "You, the demon that carelessly annihilated thousands of lives, suddenly asks to adopt a human boy? His 'prison' none the less? Of course I thought you had planed something underhanded. After all, you **are **a kitsune." Kyuubi's growl deepened, but Yondaime only waved him off. "But you really surprised me, Kyuubi no Kitsune," the blond Kage admitted seriously. "You were willing to sacrifice your own live for the happiness of another, truly remarkable."

"Things change," Kyuubi conceded reluctantly. "But that still does not explain your presence here."

"It doesn't, does it?"

Kyuubi's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, but he said nothing.

Yondaime sighed, his eyes fixed on the sleeping form of Naruto. "Let's stop playing pointless games then, shall we?" He looked up, blue eyes locking with red ones. "You were a monster to me, the reason so many good man died, the reason I died and I have difficulties to leave that behind. When I look at you I see death, I see destruction, I see chaos. I blame you for everything bad that ever happened to Naruto-"

"Funny really, because it is as much your fault that Naruto is in this situation as it is mine," Kyuubi interrupted sarcastically. "Oh great hero."

The Hokage sighted deeply. "Too true," Yondaime admitted, "and while I hate to be the reason for his suffering, I had no choice." He shifted his gaze to the small child in Kyyubi's embrace. "But I admit that I was wrong about you. You are not a monster, a monster would never make a sacrifice, far less such a big one like you were prepared to make." He looked back up. "I don't know what to make of you anymore, but I can see that you mean well." Yondaime looked over his shoulder at the death god, nodding. "He has my blessing you may proceed."

He then looked back at Kyuubi and Naruto, a small smile forming on his lips, before he stepped back a little.

Before Kyuubi could decipher the meaning of the words, the death god already hovered before him, dagger in hand.

"What do you think you are doing with that thing?" Kyuubi snapped, burying Naruto protectively deeper in his embrace.

"Completing the ritual, obviously," Shinigami said irritated. "To do that I need both of your blood. Now hold still."

Reluctantly Kyuubi complied. Holding Naruto with one arm to his chest, he bared the other arm to Shinigami. A quick slice through the palm of his left hand had a few drops of blood hit the floor, before the wound sealed itself again. Immediately a complicated design of symbols in the form of a sun lit up, plunging the dark space in an eerie blood red glow. With a satisfied nod Shinigami readied his blade to nick Naruto's much smaller hand. Kyuubi paused for a moment and then bared Naruto's palm, the inner struggle evident in his eyes. A little cut later Naruto's blood joined Kyuubi's, creating a crescent-shaped design inside the sun. Shinigami left the seal array, leaving Kyuubi and Naruto standing alone in the centre. He joined Yondaime, who nodded at him again, whereupon Shinigami began to form hand seals, dagger in his mouth. The seal array, reacting to the hand seals, lit up even more. The color of the symbols changed suddenly from blood red to a blinding white, chakra started to build and hum. With a surprised cry Kyuubi was ejected from the seal array and the outer sun-shaped part stopped glowing, then vanished completely, only leaving the crescent-shaped design active. Kyuubi picked himself up from the floor, all the while watching as Naruto's body floated in the air, the color of the seal changing again. Blinding white became a vibrant gold.

The chakra condensed suddenly, enveloping Naruto in a cocoon of thick golden light.

"What the hell is happening?!" Kyuubi asked, shielding his eyes with one hand.

"I don't know," Shinigami answered calmly, watching the display in front of him with great interest.

"**You don't know?!" **Kyuubi roared, his voice taking on its usual demonic characteristics in his anger and concern.

Shinigami looked unfazed at Kyuubi. "Like I said, something like this has never happened before. This constitutes a precedent, all we can do is wait and see."

"**I seriously hope that you are joking, because if you are not-"**

"Calm down and watch," Shinigami replied, pointing at the glowing cocoon. Kyuubi turned in time to see said cocoon dissolve, baring a little golden kitsune for all to see. Kyuubi had barely time to count the tails, before the kitten started to changed to a naked, but otherwise unharmed Naruto. A female Naruto.

"What-" Kyuubi began, but Yondaime interrupted him with a low whistle.

"Well, this is certainly new."

They watched transfixed as the invisible force lowered Naruto gently to the ground. Shinigami was the first to reach the blonds side, running his eyes all over her small body.

Kyuubi growled and picked Naruto up from the ground, enveloping her protectively in his tails. "Pervert!"

"I was merely checking her over, not checking her out," Shinigami replied indignantly. "There is a difference."

"That's all well and good, Shinigami-sama," Yondaime interjected, "but why is he a she?"

Kyuubi snorted. "I'd like to hear that explanation myself."

"Isn't it obvious?" The death god asked, looking from Kyuubi to Yondaime, waiting for an answer. Shinigami sighed deeply as he got none. "Fine then. Demons, no matter how human they appear to be, are more like animals." Shinigami explained, ignoring Kyuubi's warning growl. "Don't get me wrong, Lord Kyuubi. That is not a bad thing, but ningen tend to forget it when they see demons in their humanoid form. Demons, very much like animals, are predominantly conducted by their instincts. Such an instinct will make you feel compelled to force Naruto to leave you when he reaches adolescence. Taking the seal the two of you are subjected to into consideration makes that impossible. With time you would get more violent, feeling threatened by his presence. You can imagine the outcome, I hope?"

"Enter the ten tails I counted earlier into the equation and you get nothing pretty," Yondaime answered, shuddering at the mental image.

"So you made Naruto a girl?!" Kyuubi shouted, not a bit consoled.

"No," Shinigami answered. "I had nothing to do with it."

"Then what-"

"I don't know," the death god interrupted. "I am by no means omniscient. But assuming that the great kami had a hand in things is always a good guess. Especially considering her demonic powers."

"What do you mean, Shinigami-sama?" Yondaime inquired.

Shinigami fixed him with a frightening smile.

"Even thought I felt her power only for a moment I recognised it. And its origin is by no means demonic."

Kyuubi pursed his lips at that. "Is that all you are going to tell us?"

Shinigami inclined his head in affirmation. "Yes, you will have to wait and see how things develop." He bent down to push a stray strand of hair out of her face. "For now she is almost entirely human, but with time and the use of her new youki she will develop more and more demonic characteristics till she is a demon herself. When that happens not even my seal that was placed on her stomach will be able to withstand the power of the Juubi and she will be able to release the seal." He looked pointedly at Kyuubi. "But I must warn you, Lord Kyuubi. Do not try and release all her youki at once to speed the process up, it could cost her her life or at least her mind, because her human body is too weak to withstand the strain. She has to master it bit by bit. What do ningen say again? All good things take time?"

"I will heed your warning this once, because it would hurt Naruto if I didn't, but I am not the least bit pleased how things played out," Kyuubi growled. "How do you think these ungrateful would-be child murderers will take the sudden gender change?"

"He is right," Yondaime interjected. "As much as it pains me to say it, but he is right. They are afraid of something they don't understand-"

"That is no excuse to wilfully abuse an innocent little child!"

"No, it's not and I had thought that they were above such sentiments," Yondaime cast a glance at the unconscious Naruto, "but I guess I was wrong."

"And how wrong you were! You-"

Yondaime spun his head to face Kyuubi, anger flickering over his handsome features. "Shut it, ok! I know I made a mistake, I know it is partly my fault that Naruto is in this situation, I know I should have found another solution, but I had NO TIME!! You were killing my friends, my subordinates, my people! What should I have done, according to you? Sit idle by and watch you destroy everything that I ever loved, including Naruto? Don't give me a sermon, because I already blame myself for how things played out! But I will NOT apologise. I did what I had to do in order to save what was important to me, I did my duty and more. And even thought I paid with my immortal soul for it, I don't regret it."

For the first time in decades Kyuubi was truly speechless. He watched Yondaime's face intently, searching for the smallest indication of falsehood and found none.

"What I regret however," Yondaime continued much more gentle, reaching out with one hand to lightly stroke Naruto's cheek, "is that I had to involve Naruto. That the prize I had to pay included his happiness." He looked up again, his fingers wandering from Naruto's cheek to her neck. Kyuubi felt a sudden flare of chakra and saw a soft blue glow surround Yondaime's hand before it died down, then Yondaime retracted his hand. "This seal will hide her change for the time being. She can release and reapply it with a single touch." He looked Kyuubi straight in the eyes and for a long moment silence prevailed. "Take good care of her."

"I will."

"And Naruto…," Yondaime began, his voice a choked whisper. "I know that you can't hear me, but… I am sorry. I am so sorry." While he spoke his body started to fade away, as did Shinigami's. "But you should know that I…I love you, my child." And with that he was gone.

Kyuubi stared, stunned into silence by that revelation, before he too started to fade, together with his kitten. Into a new future.

**TBC**

* * *

**Author's Note: **This chapter got out a little later than promised , but we had 10 centimetre snow and I couldn't resist…

Hope you liked it and a **MERRY CHRISTMAS **to everyone.

And if you want to make me happy and give me a present, then please **review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Hoshi no Tama

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does.

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_None

* * *

_**Killing Perfection**_

_**by Godwolf Fenrir**_

* * *

Chapter 9: Hoshi no Tama

Naruto sat, with an unreadable expression on her face, unnaturally motionless next to Kyuubi. She did not know how she should cope with this new revelations. It was utterly overwhelming.

Without expressing any emotion, she looked back up at Kyuubi. "The Yondaime Hokage is my father?"

"Yes, kitten," Kyuubis soft, melodic voice comforted her. "He is your birth father. I am your adoptive father."

"I'm a demon."

"No kitten, you are not," Kyuubi said. He put a hand around her shoulder in an attempt to console her. "At least not yet. The change will be slow, your body needs time to adjust to the changes." He looked over his shoulder to the tree that symbolised his kittens chakra. "It is all there of course and the power that is now sealed will be unleashed in full. The world got a taste of your power when you prematurely and unconsciously unleashed ten tails." Narutos eyes widened further. That was what happened? She had unleashed _ten tails_? Was that even _possible_?

Naruto felt a hand caress her hair, calming her. She leaned into the touch, heart still beating fast. "In doing so you accelerated the process of full transformation and you will do so every time you transform."

"But I don't remember a thing," Naruto murmured.

Kyuubi chuckled lightly. "Of course you do not. The ningen mind is not constructed to endure the strain of that much youki. When you transformed your conscious mind went to, well, to sleep, for a lack of a better word. Your instincts took control of your body."

"So I will loose my mind?"

"Not exactly." Kyuubi searched for words to make her understand without him frightening her further. "Demon instincts are much more distinct than those of a ningen and they are closely entwined with the demons youki. One could say that the youki has a mind of its own."

Naruto perked up at that. "So when I learn to control my youki I will be able to keep my mind from 'going to sleep'?"

"Exactly."

Kyuubi stopped petting her hair and stood up. He offered his hand to Naruto to help her stand up. "Come, I want to show you something."

Naruto took the offered hand and rose from her sitting position. She let herself be guided nearer to the tree without resistance. She felt like in a daze.

Kyuubi pointed upwards and her gaze followed his arm.

Her breath hitched.

There in the crown of the magnificent tree rested the most beautiful jewel she had ever seen. It was a white ball the size of her fist that glowed from the inside with an unearthly fire.

"That is the _hoshi no tama_," Kyuubi said softly. "Every kitsune has its own, varying in size and form."

Naruto closed her mouth with an audibly snap, thought she continued to watch the jewel with awe. "What does it do?"

"It holds the magical power of a kitsune and is commonly carried either in the mouth or on the tails when the kitsune is not in human form." Kyuubi glanced at her with a serious expression. "It is the physical representation of the kitsunes soul."

"But you said that the tree-"

"Yes, the tree is the representation of your soul like it is now, as is the hoshi no tama. You are not fully ningen, but not fully demon either. The tree is the source of your chakra, while the jewel represents your youki. They are connected and with time the hoshi no tama will grow while the tree will wither."

Naruto nodded in understanding, but then a thought occurred to her and she stopped abruptly. "But then where is yours? Shouldn't you have one too?"

Kyuubiu looked gravely at her, closing his eyes briefly. "Yes, I should and I once did."

"You _did_?" Naruto looked confused up to Kyuubi. "What happened to it?"

"Listen closely to me, kitten, because this is a bit of advice you should take to heart." Kyuubi said. He took a long look at the hoshi no tama hovering far above their heads. "With great power comes great responsibility," he said gravely. "I was so powerful, I was the most powerful being to walk this earth, but I got careless. I thought that no one would ever be able to challenge me. My hauteur cost me greatly."

Kyuubi looked back to Naruto, a sad expression on his handsome features.

"A long time ago, before Konoha was build, I met two friends. They were so different up to the point of being polar opposites of each other. They intrigued me. How could they be so different and yet best friends? They came to me and asked for my assistance. They had great plans. They wanted to united all the ninja clans of _Hi no Kuni _and then found a village."

"Konoha," Naruto breathed.

"Yes, Konoha," Kyuubi confirmed. "I had let them too near to me, thinking them harmless. What could an ant do to a giant? Oh, how wrong I was. Without me noticing one of them lulled me into a state of tranquillity with his blessed chakra, while the other stole my sacred hoshi no tama."

"Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju stole your 'soul'?" Naruto asked for clarification. An expression of utter horror distorted her face.

"Precisely. I don't know what they did to the jewel, but I was henceforth damned to serve their will. Madara ultimately tried to use me to exact vengeance upon the village that denied him what he thought was his by right. The position as Hokage."

Kyuubi watched as Naruto balled her fists tightly, baring her teeth in a silent snarl.

Naruto meanwhile fought an inner battle.

It was all Madaras fault. Kyuubi may not be as innocent as a baby, but he did not bear the blame for the lives lost that fateful day. He was a victim too.

A growl escaped her lips. She was so angry.

No, not angry, she was downright livid.

Her chance at a normal childhood, a normal life was shot to hell because of some power-hungry bastard, who had to act like a spoiled child after he did not get his way.

"Uchiha Madara," Naruto spat the name like a curse. "You are a dead man. I will not sooner rest till I hunt you down and kill you for the crimes you've committed." Naruto looked up to the sky and shouted on top of her lungs. "Do you hear me, Madara?! The dead will be avenged, even if it is the last thing I do!!"

Kyuubi laid a hand tentatively on her shoulder.

"Your father was and still is a hero. The greatest hero I have ever met. I may not like him, but I respect him, admire him even. If not for him I would have wiped Konoha from the face of the earth." He gently took hold of her chin and made her look him in the eyes. "Every time I look at you I see him in you and I am proud to call you my kitten. You are strong, brave and you have a big heart. Do not let revenge rule your life. Listen to your own advice and fight to protect, not to destroy." He bent down a little to place a soft kiss on Narutos forehead.

"Everything happens for a reason and with time we may be able to understand why, but for now, you should rest." Naruto felt her eyes close of their own accord, following Kyuubis murmured command. "We will talk more later, sleep well little one."

* * *

Naruto woke to absolute silence. After what felt like ages, Naruto opened her eyes slowly, glad to be out of her own mind and back in the real world. A quick scan of her surroundings revealed nothing special. A room with three beds, a dresser, a wardrobe, a desk with three stools and two doors of which one probably led to a bathroom and the other outside. A typical hotel room.

Naruto flung the blanket aside only to blush a little. She was naked underneath like the day she was born.

Naruto furrowed her brows and looked around for something to put on. The room was surprisingly tidy, not even the occasional weapon lay about. That left the wardrobe and the dresser. Naruto put her bare feet upon the ground and stood shakily from the bed.

"Whoa!"

Only to sit back down a second later.

"_Well," _Naruto thought. _"It seems that I was out of commission for longer than I thought." _She tried a second time to stand, but much more careful. She succeeded after a moment, but used the wall as support in her quest to reach the wardrobe. Inside were three piles of neatly folded clothes, one being her own. She choose the first available clothes she could get her hands on and stumbled back to the bed to dress. She found her sandals under her bed and right next to them her weapon pouch. Conveniently her stomach choose that moment to make itself known. Naruto put a hand on top of her grumbling belly, scanning the room again, this time for something edible.

She sighed deeply, shaking her head in dejection

"Figures! They go out to train and leave me to die of starvation!"

Naruto stood up again, now fully dressed, and went for the door. There had to be some food somewhere. Preferably ramen. Lots of ramen.

She closed the door behind her. Loud noise immediately assaulted her ears, forcing her to clamp her hands over them. She grimaced, pressing her eyes shut in pain.

"What the hell!"

Carefully she lifted one hand a little from one ear, but abandoned such thoughts quickly. It was simply too loud. Naruto retreated hastily back into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Relived, she slid down the door. The room was blissfully quiet. Thank god.

"What the hell was THAT?" Naruto muttered, massaging her abused ears. "And why is it so quiet in here? The door shouldn't muffle the noises _that _much. Odd."

She sighed again.

This was so bloody typical.

Naruto pushed herself up in a standing position when something caught her eye. A white paper tag was pinned to one of the room corners. A quick search revealed similar tags in the other three as well. Naruto frowned and went to take a closer look at the nearest one. She traced the black markings with one finger, trying to remember were she had seen this particular pattern before.

"_Of course," _Naruto thought. _"They are blocking the noise from entering this room, maybe vice versa, too. That would make sense. Now that I think about it the Hokage Tower has similar ones." _Naruto glanced at the tag critically. It seemed that her sensibility to noise wasn't a new occurrence and that Sasuke and Sakura had to take precautions.

"_This must be one of the small changes Kyuubi was talking about? Enhanced hearing? Should be useful. Well, __**after **__I get accustomed to it, that is."_

Naruto began to channel chakra to her ears. Normally she would use it to enhance her hearing, but that obviously wasn't necessary. Instead she used it to repress it to some extend. Satisfied, Naruto undertook a new attempt to leave the room.

* * *

Five minutes later found Naruto casually walking down the busy street lit by lampions. After a little experimentation she found the perfect regulation for her hearing so nothing stood in the way of her meal and a little reconnaissance of the unfamiliar terrain. Thought, one look at the big castle watching over the village and the many gambling halls told her what she needed to know. This was Tanzaku Gai. At least one thing went according to plan.

Surprise, surprise.

Naruto decided to continue sightseeing at a later date, preferably after dinner and when it was not already getting dark. She looked for a cosy little ramen stand, but all she could locate on short notice was a tavern. Technically she wasn't allowed in there since she was still underage, but really, who was going to stop her?

With ramen on her mind, Naruto entered the tavern and went for an empty booth in the back. A glimpse in the menu revealed that they did serve ramen. The waitress eyed Naruto suspiciously as she came to gather the blonds order, but a well dosed glare shut her up before she could say anything beyond 'Welcome'.

Naruto placed her order and watched the waitress retreat.

It almost looked like she was fleeing…

So it did not came as a surprise to Naruto when a few minutes later a different waiter placed the first bowl of ramen in front of her. Naruto sent him a charming smile before she dug in. It did not take long before a small pile of empty bowls stood beside her, testifying to her great appetite. She was so engrossed in her meal that she nearly missed the two guests that took the booth beside her and she would not have normally cared if one of them hadn't used her name. Naruto stopped shovelling food in her mouth in favour of listening in a little.

"This has nothing to do with Naruto, Shizune, and it has nothing to do with _you_, so please be silent."

"It has as much to do with Naruto and me as it has with you. After all he offered you the life of her father, the live of my uncle and the live of your little brother. Lady Tsunade, _please_, this is Orochimaru we are talking about. He is planning something underhanded for sure!"

Naruto heard a snort before the voice of 'Tsunade' called loudly for sake. Lots of sake.

"Listen here Shizune," Tsunade growled. "Naruto is unconscious and I don't know when she'll wake, I don't even know _if _she'll wake up. I lost Dan on a mission, because I wasn't fast enough to heal him. I lost my little brother on a mission, too and I wasn't even there when he closed his eyes for the last time. I too wasn't there when my only son sacrificed his life for the same ungrateful bastards that tried to kill his daughter, _my_ grand daughter!"

Tsunade took a deep breath before she continued. Naruto meanwhile sat frozen in her place, ramen completely forgotten.

"I should have been there, Shizune, every single time I _should _have been there. I wasn't and each time my loved ones paid dearly for my failure."

"It wasn't your fault, Lady Tsunade, don't say that it was," Shinzune half choked. "Uncle Dan and Nawaki-"

"You are right, I could not save them, but maybe I could have saved Minato had I raised him. I sure could have saved Naruto much grieve had I stayed and _raised her_." She paused again and Naruto heard a sharp 'clang' a second later. Probably caused from a sake pint hitting the desk again. "Instead I choose to ran away like a coward. The least I can do is give her her father back." Another short pause and Naruto had to reduce the chakra in her ears a little to get the last sentence that was muttered quietly under Tsunades breath. So quietly that Naruto wasn't sure if Shizune had heard it. _"And make Konoha pay in the process."_

Narutos eyes widened even more, but before she could do something stupid the familiar voice of the pervy sage drifted through the bar.

"There you are Tsunade, I was looking for you!"

His heavy footsteps came nearer and then he sat down in the same booth as the two women. "We have to talk."

"No we don't," Tsunade answered, her voice beginning to get a little heavy from the sake. "Go away, Jiraiya."

"I don't think so," Jiraiya said. Naruto could practically see him shake his head. "What did Orochimaru want?"

"So you know that already?"

Jiraiya snorted. "It is hard not to know, he wasn't exactly subtle in his approach, nearly crushed the castle, the bastard." Jiraiya sighed deeply. "What I don't know is what he wanted from you, care to explain?"

"Not really, no," Tsunade countered. "We said 'hello', that's all."

Silence prevailed for a long time after that, only broken by what sounded like cards being dealt out.

"I'll say it once again, the leaf village has made its decision, they have chosen you to be the fifth Hokage. So what is your answer?" Jiraiya paused, probably to study Tsunades expression intently. "Do you accept it, Tsunade? Well? I'm waiting. What do you say?"

Cards hit the desk with a soft noise. "Impossible. I decline."

Naruto had heard enough. She paid her bill and left. She felt light-headed, her heart constricting painfully. This was all going too fast.

It was too much.

The council, Sasuke and Sakura, the adoption, turning into a demon, the identity of her father, Kyuubis stolen hoshi no tama… it was too much.

And now _this_!

Naruto jumped onto the next roof, not noticing, nor caring where she went. She rushed blindly into the night.

She finally slumped against a pillar of a red _Torii_, several feet above the ground, staring blankly ahead of her.

The irony of it all was not lost on her. Tsunade was a war hero. The last living descendant of the first Hokage, his granddaughter in fact. One of the sannin and the best healer the world had ever seen. Her grandmother.

The council, no the entire village, would have a heart attack if they ever found that titbit of information out. Or who her father was.

The dead last, the village idiot, the outcast, the _monster _descended from the crème della crème of the shinobi world. Practically _bred_ for greatness.

"And look where that got me," Naruto whispered bitterly to no one.

She felt a pull on her mind, an indication that Kyuubi wanted to talk to her, but Naruto was not in the mood.

She didn't _want _to see anyone just now. She _wanted _to wallow in self-pity and the unfairness of it all.

It was her right.

It was a new experience altogether, since she never allowed herself to do so before.

After a while a lone tear rolled down her cheek. Her great-great-grandfather was at least partly at fault for the mess she was facing now.

Before Naruto knew what was happening she was crying quite heavily, sobbing uncontrolled into her hands. Tremors shook her body and breathing became quite difficult. Her heart constricted again and suddenly the unbearable pain gave way to red-hot anger.

A scream tore from her body, carrying her sadness, her confusion, her rage, her _pain_ into the night sky.

**TBC**

* * *

**Translations:**

**Hi no Kuni **- Land of Fire

**Ningen** - Humans

**Hoshi no Tama **- Star ball

**Torii** - Shinto gate (The entrance to a Shinto shrine is straddled by gates called torii)

**Author's Note: **Hope it was to your liking, see ya next time an please **review!**


	10. Chapter 10: Morning after Dark

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I don't make any money with it, Kishimoto Masashi does.

**Legend:**

"Ordinary people talking"

"_Ordinary people thinking"_

"**Demons/Summons"talking**

_**Demons/Summons thinking**_

_**WARNING: **_None

* * *

_**Killing Perfection**_

__

**by Godwolf Fenrir**

* * *

Chapter 10: Morning after dark

Naruto did not go back to the hotel room for the entire night. Instead she sat upon the torii till the night gave way to a silver lining on the horizon. She knew that her team mates were probably searching for her by now. Turning every stone upside down in the process. It made no difference, she simply did not care at the moment, instead she continued starring blankly ahead.

It was ultimately not Sasuke and Sakura that found her, but an old Shinto priest from the nearby shrine. Naruto was so immersed into her thoughts that she didn't even heard him approach.

"Good morning, young Lady, may the kami bless you and yours."

Startled, Naruto shifted her gaze to look at the old man, standing below her. He leaned heavily on a knobby staff and was dressed in the traditionally garments of a _kannushi_, the high priest of a shrine. He starred up to her with kind brown eyes that shone with wisdom.

Naruto snorted, averting her gaze. "The kami left me a long time ago," she said bitterly.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Naruto saw him sigh. "Nevertheless are you here," the old man said, indicating their surrounding with a gesture of his hand.

Naruto wanted to disagree, but she could not. Without meaning to she had sought refugee at the entrance of a shrine.

"You must be hungry, child," said the priest, bringing Naruto out of her musing again. "Come down and share a meal with an old man and his pupils."

Naruto actually contemplated the offer. It would be very impolite not to accept the offer, not to say disrespectful. He only wanted to help, after all.

Sighing, Naruto jumped down, gracefully landing beside the priest.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Kannushi-sama, I would be honoured to dine with you and your pupils."

A pleased smile appeared on the old, wrinkled face. "Good, good!" He linked his arm with hers. "Now help an old man back up the stairs, will you?"

They slowly climbed the stairs in silence, the old man leaning heavily on her. On top of the stairs they encountered a few young novice cleaning the pavement with birch-brooms. They bowed respectfully when the Kannushi and Naruto walked past them.

"You have a lot of novice, Kannushi-sama," Naruto asked simply to break the silence that started to unnerve her.

The old man chuckled. "I do. They are my grandchildren."

"Oh."

They passed the _Ch_ō_zuya_, the fountain where visitors usually cleaned themselves before venturing further into the sanctuary. Beautiful tōrō, decorative stone lanterns, lined the way leading to the main hall.

Naruto eyed the shrine complex appreciatively when she suddenly spotted the two statues that always flanked the entrance to the main sanctuary. But it were not the more common _Komainu, _so-called lion dogs, that guarded the shrine. It were kitsune.

"This is an Inari shrine?" Naruto asked surprised.

The old kannushi looked bemused. "Yes, this shrine was build in honor of the principal kami Inari-sama." He smiled warmly at her. "This is also the Sōhonsha of Inari shrines, the 'head shrine' so to speak. That reminds me that I did not introduce myself, how rude of me. My name is Omoikane Yasahiro, kannushi of this shrine."

Naruto suddenly got a foreboding feeling as those brown eyes seemed to look straight into her soul. "And you, young Lady, who are you?""_Yes_," Naruto thought bitterly, _"who am I?" _

Prior to this mess she would have said that she was Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure no Sato, the girl that posed as a boy and carries the most powerful demon known to humankind.

But now?

Her life had come apart at the seams.

Revelations, _life changing revelations_, came blow upon blow.

She was not sure who she was anymore. A Senju, a Namikaze, an Uzumaki? Or maybe Kitsune, after her adoptive father? The only thing that went unchallenged was her first name, Naruto.

But that was not really appropriate either, it was a boys name after all.

Maybe Sesshomaru?

No, it was not really a name, more like a title. Given to her by others that did not know her one bit.

Naruto sighed defeated. "It's sad, really," Naruto answered after a long minute, "but I don't know. I thought I knew, but now I'm not so sure."

She looked at the old man and smiled sadly. "It does not really matter…"

The kannushi squeezed her arm reassuringly.

"Poor child, what have they done to you? A name is a very important thing, after all '_words have meaning and names have power'_."

Naruto smiled thinly. "That may be so. But '_what's in a name? That which we call rose, by any other name would smell as sweet',_" Naruto countered, quoting a play she had once read.

The kannushi smiled and inclined his head. "Controversial." The old man tucked gently at her arm. "Come, I want to show you something."

He led her from the main path, past a building that was probably his home, to a Japanese style and tile-capped garden wall. Naruto lifted a brow, but stepped nonetheless through the tile-roofed entry gate. Only to stop shortly after to stare wide eyed at the most beautiful garden she had ever laid eyes on. Stones were set into the ground and positioned to form a decorative walkway, leading past small to large stone arrangements, small waterfalls or decorative stone lanterns in many shapes and forms. Different kind of trees and bushes grew in the garden, forming a sensual creation who's calming nature took immediately effect. Large trees like the Japanese black pine or the Katsura tree formed the background for the smaller trees, including Crape myrtle, Sakura trees and Crab apple. Small bushes like the Japanese snowbell grew above a carpet of heathers, ferns and mosses. A medium sized pond located in the middle of the garden formed the centerpiece with a small island in the middle where a pavilion was build. A red arched moon bridge was the only thing that led to the island apart from a few stepping stones that led about halfway there.

"This is beautiful," Naruto breathed speechless. "Simply breathtaking."

Yasahiro smiled indulgently at her. "It is. And despite popular believe this is the _real _heart of the shrine. This garden never withers."

Naruto stared in amazement. It was common knowledge that the weather in Hi no Kuni was always mild, even in winter, but she never had heard of a garden that never withered. There were plants that were evergreen, of course, but most of the plants and trees she could identify were not. So how?

"It is truly blessed," Yasahiro concluded, still sporting that indulgent smile of his. "But that is not what I wanted to show you."

He led her nearer to the pond, stopping at the water's edge, in front of the stepping stones.

"After you," he said, indicating the stones. "It is quite save."

Naruto shrugged and stepped on the first stone, even thought she did not really see the point of this, after all the stoned suddenly ended after about halfway to the island. Wouldn't it be more productive if they simply took the bridge?

Sure, she could walk on water just fine, but still.

She heard a noise behind her and half turned only to see the old man chuckle. "You will understand soon, do not worry," he said, interpreting Narutos facial expression correctly. "Simply keep going."

Following his suggestion she reached the last stone and turned to the old man to get further instruction only to jump a little. Instead of waiting at the shore he had followed her and stood directly behind her.

"You should not do that you know," Naruto advised dryly. "Sneaking up to a shinobi is never a good idea, it could cost you your life."

"Dully noted," Yasahiro answered, the smile on his face never wavering. "Good thing you aren't armed then."

Narutos face fell and she froze, but only a moment. Faster than the untrained eye could follow, she reached for her weapon pouch, only to grab air.

Her eyes widened. Were the HELL were her weapons! All of a sudden she felt almost naked.

"What-"

"Do not worry, child," the kannushi said, patting her shoulder reassuringly. "Your weapons wait for you at the entrance of this sanctuary. You can collect them later. I think," he added as an afterthought.

Naruto stared at him some more, unable to process his words. Then she blinked a few times. How the HELL had he gotten at her weapons without her noticing?

Loud she only breathed, "How?"

Yasahiro chuckled. "I told you that this garden was blessed, did I not? No one shall enter here while carrying an object of potential harm. Inari-sama does not allow it." He looked up at the sky a nearly mischievous expression on his wrinkled face. "Legend has it that Inari-samas celestial kitsune steal all the weapons and only if they like you, they will give them back."

"Oh," Naruto made, appeased for the moment. "Well, then lets hope that they actually like me, because I really need that pouch and its contend, including the weapons."

Yasahiro looked away from the sky and opted to look at Naruto instead. Still smiling as if he knew some secret that she didn't. "I'm sure they will give it back to you in due time."

He pointed at the water using his staff as an extension for his arm. "For now you should kneel down and look into the water."

Naruto was almost tempted to ask why, but thought better of it. She'd only get a nondescript answer anyway.

Doing as she was told, Naruto kneeled down and starred into the clear blue water. After a minute she got tired of watching, well, nothing, and said as much.

"I don't see anything."

"Are you sure?

"Yes," Naruto affirmed impatiently. "There's just my reflection."

Even thought she could not see it, she practically felt his smile.

"Look harder."

"If I would know what I was looking for, then maybe I'd actually see it."

The kannushi sighed deeply, before speaking again, this time his voice held a serious undertone. "You have lost yourself, child. You have forgotten who you are."

"That's ridiculous! I know perfectly well who I am, I…I'm simply not who I used to be," Naruto finally admitted. "Everything changed so suddenly."

"And amidst the change, the deceptions and lies you lost sight of who you were supposed to be."

"Maybe."

"Look again, child," he encouraged. "Look harder."

Sighing, Naruto did as instructed. She stared into the water and her reflection stared right back at her.

It was hopeless.

"What do you see?" Yasahiro asked, his voice oddly soothing. "Tell me exactly what you see."

"I see… me, well my reflection."

"Nothing else?" The old men pressed. "_No one else_?"

"No. Should I?"

"You don't see your father in there? Or your mother? Or anyone of your ancestors?"

"_No_," Naruto answered bewildered. "It's just me."

"Then I don't see your problem, child," he said and turned away. Naruto watched him confused as he left her kneeling there without an explanation. She furrowed her brows and turned back to the water. Naruto still couldn't see anything other than herself.

Sure she could see the physical resemblance between herself and her father. Or even her grandmother. Her ancestors were a part of her, sure, but…

Narutos eyes widened as it dawned on her. She felt like smacking herself for not understanding sooner.

She looked back at her reflection and could observe how a genuine smile appeared on her face.

"_No one else… just me, _just-"

"Naruto," she whispered out loud. "I am _Naruto_."

* * *

In a little forest not too far away from Tanzaku Gai two figures lay sleeping on the ground. Around them the trees were heavily damaged and the earth torn apart. The chirping of birds and the rays of the morning sun caused the two figures to stir from time to time, thought they did not wake up.

The girl, Sakura, sighed contently and snuggled deeper into the warm body of her team mate and love. Sasuke on the other hand slept peacefully for the first time in weeks, no nightmares or bad memories of the past dared to disturb his rest. Thought he would later deny any link between his peaceful sleep and Sakuras presence, even thought he felt secure so close to her. Instead he would put it off as exhaustion.

Like he did every time he slept peacefully while in close proximity to his team mates.

Slowly he began to wake up, a ray of sunlight tickling his face. Sasuke reluctantly forced his heavy eyelids open, looking drowsily into the blue sky.

And the sun.

Groaning Sasuke turned his head away only to froze a second later. He was looking at Sakuras face which, unfortunately, was only inches away from his own. Near enough to feel her breath on his skin.

He instantly tried to inch away from her, but she was not only snuggled up to him, which alone was bad enough in his opinion, but clinging to his arm as well!

Extracting his arm carefully from her grip, he rolled away mindful not to wake her up. True, in the last months she had become less of a fan girl and refrained from fawning over him like a mindless twit, but he did not want to tempt fate. Chances were that she would suffer a relapse should she wake up practically in his arms.

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief as he stood up, his muscles arching in protest. To loosen them a little he began to stretch and then proceeded to dust off his clothes. Afterwards he treaded his fingers through his unusual long hair and yawned one last time, before he walked over to Sakura.

Despite himself Sasuke did not wake her immediately. Instead he indulged himself and observed her for a moment.

Sakura looked so relaxed and peaceful lying there on the forest floor, or what was left of it.

Almost serene.

The total opposite of what she normally looked like. While Jiraiya was not an easy teacher once you got him to focus on you and not every skirt that walked by, he was nothing compared to Tsunade.

That woman was downright sadistic and, thought he would never admit it, frightened him. And rightly so, after all one punch of her was enough to maim a grown man.

And to his dismay she and Sakura had similar personalities…

Sasuke shook his head forcefully, banishing such thoughts from his mind. Instead he focused on waking the Tsunade-in-the-making up, preferably without catching one of her fists to his vital body parts, or any of his body parts for that matter.

Tsunades training was hard, but it showed amazing results. Sakura had become quite proficient in healing and Tsunade apparently took a liking to her, because she had started to teach Sakura the secret of her ungodly strength.

She was quite proficient in that technique, too. Their surroundings was a testimony for that.

He decided to nudge her side roughly, ready to jump away at the slightest sign of violence, out of caution of course, not because he was afraid of being pummelled.

"Wake up," he instructed.

Sakura stirred. "Five more minutes," she mumbled, curling in on herself tighter.

Sasuke snorted, shaking his head. If he could not continue to sleep then nobody else was allowed to either.

"WAKE UP!"

"Don't wanna," Sakura answered sleepily. She rolled onto her other side, giving Sasuke the cold shoulder.

Said raven gritted his teeth in annoyance. He was used to getting the dobe up and the ensuring drama that unfolded every time, but at least he knew by now how to wake him… er her. Sakura on the other hand always stood up on her own, normally even before him and the rare times that she did not he simply waited for her to come around on her own. But they were in the middle of a forest, he was stiff and to top it off hungry like a wolf. That and they had to check on the dobe.

He _couldn't _wait for Sakura to grace the world of the living with her presence.

Resigning himself to his fate he scooped Sakura up into his arms so that he was carrying her bridal stile. If Jiraiya saw him now he would never live it down… or worse Tsunade.

He looked down to see Sakura snuggling deeper into him, or rather his warmth. Sighing again he took off towards Tanzaku Gai.

* * *

Meanwhile Naruto sat cross legged to the right of Yasahiro, who sat at the head of a long table inside his dining room.

On his left sat two _miko _who looked exactly the same, thought it was hard to tell how old they were. Long dark brown hair flowed way past their shoulders and their heart shaped faces underlined their innocent look. They were named Akari and Ikari and were Yasahiros second oldest grandchildren. While Akari wore an _ema_, a small wooden plague with the picture of a kitsune, Ikari wore a bow slung across her shoulders. Beside Ikari sat a tall, thin and bespectacled man with silver hair that reminded Naruto strongly of Kabuto. Or maybe Kakashi with glasses, because he too was apparently carrying a book everywhere, thought his name was Hakuzo. Beside Naruto sat a feminine looking boy with shoulder long blue-black hair named Genkuro. He had a _tsuzumi_, an hourglass shaped drum, strapped to his back, reminding the blond of Gaara and his gourd. The last one to sit at the table was the youngest of Yasahiros six grandchildren named Jingoro. He was small and scrawny, but not bad looking, his long black hair braided and slung over his shoulder. Unfortunately he was a nervous wreck, not unlike Hinata, Naruto mused, constantly fidgeting and looking around nervously as if he expected somebody to jump him. The only one currently not sitting at the table was the oldest of the bunch. Gengoro was currently helping his wife Kojoro to set the table. He was easily the most muscular of the boys, but still lean, with short brown hair and a friendly face. His wife on the other hand looked very young and petite. Her long chestnut brown hair was braided and she was the only one, besides Naruto, not wearing priest or miko robes. The two placed the last bowls onto the table and then sat down opposite each other.

Naruto looked down at the mass of foot in front of her. Sakura had invited her and Sasuke once or twice to eat breakfast with her and her parents, but never had there been this much foot. Sure, they were only five then and here sat nine people around the table, but still…

A large bowl of rice stood in front of each, easily five times as large as normally, same with the bowls of miso soup. Big plates of grilled fish, tamagoyaki, onsen tamago, tsukemono pickles, seasoned nori and natto served as side dishes. Strangely enough there was also a large dish of Inari-sushi as well. The sushi roll of packaged fried tofu, with pointed corners to resemble fox ears, was not a common dish for breakfast, but rather a popular offering for Inari since it was believed to be a fondness of the kami.

The deep voice of Yasahiro brought her out of her musings. "Itadakimasu," Yasahiro said and started to eat, immediately reaching for an Onari-sushi. The others soon followed and Naruto too served herself.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, thought a surprise for Naruto. Never before had she seen anyone eating nearly as much as her, much less more. Her initial worry that they had served far too much food was definitely unfounded and more than proved wrong.

Well at least she did not have to hold herself back and could eat till she was sated.

After breakfast all went their separated way, leaving Kojoro to clean up the mess and Naruto in the sole company of Yasahiro again. Who choose that moment to stand up with the help of his staff.

Naruto, too stood up. "Thank you for the invitation to breakfast, Yasahiro-sama." She turned to Kojoro and smiled. "It was delicious, Kojoro-san, thank you."

"It was my pleasure, _kitsune-hime_," she said with an wink, causing Naruto to absentmindedly stroke across her whisker marks.

She smiled. "Kitsune-hime, huh? I like it."

Yasahiro smiled as well. "The pleasure was all ours, child," he assured. "But before I send you on your way I want to show you one last thing."

Narutos eyebrows shot up at that, but she did not object.

* * *

Sasuke entered the inn they were currently staying at and carried Sakura up the stairs to their room. He opened the door with a little difficultly, stepped inside and then closed the door with a well dosed shove of his foot. He intended to place Sakura on one of the beds when he got a good glimpse of Narutos bed.

Narutos empty bed.

A resounding thud could be heard as Sasuke let go of his team mate in shock.

"OWW!"

Sakura, rudely awoken by the impact on the floor, glared up at Sasuke, now fully awake. "That hurt! Why did you-" Sakura followed Sasukes gaze and stopped mid rant. "Naruto?"

Sasuke choose that moment to awaken from his stupor and marched over to the blonds bed to make a quick search for any clues where the idiot could be.

"Sasuke, do you think somebody…"

"No," interrupted the raven. "Her pouch and boots are no longer here." He walked by Sakura and opened the dresser. "And some of her clothes are gone too."

Sakura sighed in relief, picking herself up off the floor. "So she awakened?"

"So it seems."

"And she simply had to choose the one day when we were too exhausted to come back here," Sakura moaned. "Thanks for carrying me, by the way."

"Hn."

"What are we going to do now, Sasuke-kun?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Hn," the raven answered. "She probably went to get something to eat, the dobe."

Sakura shook her head vehemently. "But she shouldn't be walking around! She was unconscious for ten-fucking-weeks! What is she thinking?"

Sasuke snorted at that. "The dobe is not thinking, as usual. Her stomach makes all the important decisions for her."

"That is not funny, Sasuke-kun," Sakura admonished . "What if she gets hurt?"

The ravens left eyebrow went up at that. "If you had seen what I saw ten months ago you wouldn't be asking that question."

"Sasuke-kun!"

"What? If I were you I would be more concerned for the fool that is stupid enough to attack-"

A loud bang interrupted him and a second later the door to their rooms was thrown open, revealing a panting Shizune in the doorframe.

"Shizune?" Sakura asked concerned. "What happened? Where is _Tsunade-shishou_?"

"No time! I have to get moving!" Shizune said in passing. "Stay in the house!" She ordered over her shoulder. She was halfway through the window when she suddenly froze, a kunai newly imbedded into the wall only centimetres away from her face.

"Wait, Shizune!"

Her head snapped to the left and she saw Jiraiya leaning against the wall. A second glance revealed that he was not casually doing so, but rather out of necessarily. He looked terrible and could hardly move.

Shizune jumped fully outside and assisted the toad-sannin in sitting down on the ledge. Sasuke and Sakura followed shortly after.

"Jiraiya-sensei, what happened?" Sakura asked in a horrified voice. Never had she considered it possible to reduce a sannin to what now stood before her.

"Damn Tsunade… she put drugs in my sake…"

Sakura sighed deeply. "Why am I not surprised?" She asked rhetorically.

Jiraija was even too weak to send a withering look in her direction, so instead he continued. "I can't release chakra well and my whole body stings… I can't even hold chopsticks…," he added as an afterthought.

This time it was Sasuke who commented dryly. "Just like Naruto, always thinking with the stomach…"

"Shut up!!" The fallen sannin bellowed.

"The truth hurts," Sakura half whispered to her team mate who nodded.

Jiraiya harrumphed loudly.

"In her fallen state she's still a medical specialist. She's about the only one who can create a tasteless, odorless drug to use against other ninjas…," he said, balling one hand to a fist. "But… even thought I was drunk… to get me like that…"

"Her breasts were too much of a distraction, I guess," Sakura added her own thoughts, making Sasuke smirk and Jiraiya shout.

"You BRATS!"

Too bad his tirades had long since lost their threatening character, they knew him too good for that. Jiraiya, much like Naruto, was more illusion than reality. That is not to say that he was weak or anything, no, he simply didn't take everything with a pinch of salt.

"By the way, Shizune," he addressed the young black haired woman uncharacteristically serious, his mood swings being as legendary as his name. Thought if he became like this it was better to listen to him, because he was only being serious if he thought he absolutely had to.

"What you talked with Orochimaru about… it's about time you tell us."

Sasuke tensed at the name, being reminded of the foolishness he nearly committed. Sakura thought along the same lines.

"I wanted to believe in Tsunade-sama… that's why I couldn't say anything…," she said with her head hanging. "But… we don't have much time…" She jumped up and looked pleadingly from one to the other. "Follow me! I'll explain on the way!"

"Hn"

"I'm coming too!"

"Don't hustle me! I can't go any faster!"

* * *

At the same time Naruto stood in front of the heart of the shrine, the _Honden_. They had long since passed the _Haiden, _or oratory, and afterwards the _Tamagaki_, the fence surrounding the _Honden_, and stood now in front of an artfully decorated double door. Kitsune, large and small were skilfully carved into the wood, marking the entrance to the most sacred part of the shrine.

"I am not allowed to enter here, Kannushi-sama," Naruto said, overwhelmed from the honor that Yasahiro planned to bestow upon her. "This is were the _goshintai_ is kept, right? The sacred body of Inari-sama."

Yasahiro smiled and inclined his head. "Yes, and while it is not common practise to let outsider into the inner sanctum, I think we can make an exception in this case, huh, _kitsune-hime_," he said with a wink.

Naruto, long since come to the conclusion that, yes, he did know more than he should, smiled and inclined her head.

"What are we waiting for then?"

Yasahiro chuckled and made a swishing motion with his and. The double- doors slowly swung open as if by magic. Naruto took a hesitating step forward, letting her gaze wander left and right. This was a once in a lifetime chance and she intended to savor it thoroughly.

The double door revealed a near ceiling-high gold statue of a multi-tailed kitsune positioned in the center of the shrine. Two big candles stood to its left and right, while a _shimenawa_, a length of braided rice straw rope used for ritual purification,hung above it. Lampion hung from the ceiling and illuminated more carvings of kitsune and rich cloth embroidered with golden rice ears.

"Breathtaking," the blond whispered and went to inspect the statue a little closer. The first thing she did was count the tails and was not really surprised as she came up to nine in all. She put her head back to look at the kitsunes face and was surprised to see it carrying a big scroll between its open fangs.

"A scroll?" Naruto asked in wonder. "The repository of the enshrined _kami _Inari is a ‚scroll'?

"Not quite, but it is something equally valuable," Yasahiro said secretive. "Take the scroll."

"What?!"

"Take the scroll," he repeated. "Don't worry, it will not bite." He smiled a devious smile before he continued. "At least not you."

Naruto took the suggestion as the order it really was and got the scroll down with the help of a kage bunshin.

"Here's your scroll," she said, holding out the heavy thing to Yasahiro. "What now?"

"Now you sign it."

"What?"

The old kannushi sighed. "That is a summoning scroll, child. You do the same with it as you did with the toad contract. Sign it in blood."

"Oh…OH! A summoning scroll for what? KITSUNE?!"

Yasahiro smirked. Finally the blond caught on. "Why, yes it is. I could not think of someone better suited for it than you. Now sign it."

Still a little overwhelmed, Naruto did what he told her to do. She unrolled the massive red scroll only to be met with blank slots.

"Yasahiro-sama," Naruto began. "Is it possible that nobody else ever got this contract?"

"That would be an astute observation, child," he said with a smile. "No one was ever deemed worthy enough to hold this contract."

"Wow. I feel overwhelmed and honoured at the same time," she said, biting her thumb and writing her name in the first slot. "I can not thank you enough."

"It is alright, child. But there are a few things that are unique to this special contract and that I have to tell you about."

That did not sound too good, but he had her undivided attention now.

"Kitsune are not demons, that is a common misconception, they are merely spirits. Since you now hold the contract of kitsune you can summon them, but it has a price. Being spiritual in nature they need sustenance to manifest in this world. In other words they need to feed to stay material and use their abilities. The stronger the summon the more energy it needs." Yasahiro looked at Naruto for a sign that she understood. Said blond nodded and Yasahiro continued satisfied. "They always draw on the energy around them first and if the land is exposed to this for too long all life will wither and then die, leaving nothing behind but a wasteland. The faster, thought more gruesome, way to sate their hunger is to devour animals like a normal fox would do and-"

"Humans."

"Yes, _ningen_ too," he admitted, "the main reason why kitsune are often categorised as demons. Coincidentally the most satiating thing to feed off is chakra, a powerful form of energy that all living things posses, but ningen especially." He sighed and then smiled again. "But now enough of this depressing talk. Simply bear in mind that if you call on a powerful summon, or the boss summon even, you should have a huge chakra source close by."

"You mean let it eat my enemies, right?"

"Well, they _are _your enemies, no?" Yasahiro replied unfazed.

Naruto snorted. "Not the thing I would expect to hear from a Shinto priest, or any priest for that matter."

"You don't have to tell anyone, do you?" He said conspiratorially and ruffled her hair. "But since I know how averse you are to killing, some shinobi you are," Yasahiro said good natured, "I'll tell you about the other option. You simply let your summon feed off of your own chakra. Obviously you should not draw out the fight unnecessarily, because of the drain, but since you are one of the lucky ones that possess massive chakra stores there should not be any side effects. Thought I would not advice you to summon something big if your chakra is already depleted to a certain point." He looked at her insistently. "That point you will have to work out for yourself since everybody's chakra has a different potency. The potency of the chakra is the important factor, not the quantity."

"I will, Yasahiro-sama," Naruto said and bowed her head in thanks. "Thank you for your advice, it is much appreciated."

"You are welcome, child. Now place the scroll back in its rightful place and we can go, your friends must be worried by now."

A minute later Yasahiro escorted an unusual silent Naruto back to the Sandō_, _the approach to the shrine.

Naruto was deep in thought. Something funny was going on, but she could not put her finger on what it was exactly. It struck her all as a bit odd, thought. It were little things, like the fact that somebody was able to steal her pouch without her noticing, the garden that never withered, the _honden_ with the statue of Kyuubi and the summoning scroll. Little things, yes, but they all added up. But to what was the question. What was going on?

She had all the little peaces pieces, of that she was sure, but she was unable to put them together, to complete the puzzle and watch the picture as a whole.

Somebody stealing her pouch was explainable, because she was distracted by the garden at that time. Since being a shinobi she had seen more unusual things than a never withering garden. And while it was uncommon to grand an outsider passage into the _honden _it was not entirely unheard of. It was only when she saw the statue of Kyuubi that she realized something was up. True, the shrine was dedicated to Inari-sama and Kyuubi was undoubtedly a kitsune, thought not one of the celestial kitsune that served Inari-sama directly. So why put a statue of Kyuubi there instead of one of a celestial kitsune? Did they think it would make more of an impression to people when Kyuubi was the one carrying the scroll?

The scroll!

"Yasahiro-sama," Naruto began carefully, not sure how to formulate her question. If her suspicion was right than the scroll was definitely under protected… Or maybe not.

"Could it be that the boss summon…," Naruto faltered for a moment. She breathed in deeply to suppress her rising excitement. "Is Kyuubi no Kitsune, by any chance, the boss summon of the contract I just signed?"

"That happens to be the case, yes."Yasahiro said and smiled like a Cheshire-cat.

Or like a fox, Naruto mused.

And it all made sense.

It...

Suddenly a loud explosion rocked the ground, catching Naruto by surprise. With a yelp she whipped her head around for the source of the explosion. Luckily the shrine sat atop a small hill and offered a lovely panoramic view so that that was not a problem. On the horizon an enormous dust cloud rose into the sky.

"What the…," Naruto breathed bewildered. Thought she had a very bad feeling in her gut. She could only hope that her team mates were not involved in that explosion. Fat chance.

"It seems that your friends started without you, child," the kannushi answered her half finished question.

"That's what I was afraid of. I wonder what they've gotten themselves into now… and that even without my involvement."

"Who ever said that it does not involve you in some way?"

Naruto sighed deeply as another explosion rocked the ground. "No one I guess, but a girl can dream, can't she?" Naruto looked at Yasahiro, suddenly a serious look in her eyes, a rare occurrence indeed. "I should better take my leave now and go help the with whatever they managed to antagonise now."

"That you should."

They looked at each other for a long time, neither saying a word. Then Naruto bowed deeply, before jumping atop the torii. She paused there and looked over her shoulder down at the old kannushi. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them with a smile on her lips.

"Thank you for your help, Inari Okami-sama." Naruto addressed the kannushi before leaping of to help her friends. Thought she did not miss the foxy grin that spread over the old and withered face for a moment, before he slumped a little. He immediately steadied himself again, thought he wore a dazed expression on his face now, emphasised by the fact that he looked around confused as if he did not know how he got there in the first place. Naruto smiled to herself.

__

"I guess the old Shinto saying is right after all," Naruto mused. _"'The first and surest means to enter into communion with the Divine is sincerity.' Because I was sincerely lost." _

**TBC**

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**Translations:**

**Kannushi**_ - _a mediator (_nakatorimachi_) between _kami_ and humans. Sometimes the _kannushi_ played the role of the _kami_ or even acted as a _kami_ to transmit the will of the _kami_ to humanity. He is the head of a shrine

**Chōzuya **- fountain to cleanse one's hands and face

**Komainu**_ - _so-called lion dogs, that guarded the shrine, in the case of Inari Shrines, they are foxes

**Sōhonsha** - the head shrine of Inari shrines

**Miko** (巫女, 神子, 巫) - a woman who helps kannushi in their work

**Ema **(絵馬) - small wooden plaques on which worshipers at shrines, as well as Buddhist temples, write their prayers or wishes.

**Tsuzumi** - an hourglass shaped drum

**Itadakimasu **- enjoy you meal

**Kitsune-hime **- fox princess

**Tsunade-shishou** - Meister Tsunade

**Haiden** - oratory

**Tamagaki** - fence surrounding the honden

**Honden** - main hall, enshrining the kami

**Goshintai** (神体?) - lit. the sacred body of the kami

**Hymenia** (標縄・注連縄・七五三縄?) lit. enclosing rope

**Sandō** - the approach to the shrine

**Ningen** - Humans

**Torii** - Shinto gate

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**Origin of names:**

**Omoikane Yasahiro **- _Omoikane_ is the deity of wisdom and _Yasahiro_ means peaceful, calm, wise

**Akari** - Light of god, power of god Inari, prayer (that's why she wears an _ema_)

**Ikari** - Anger of god ( that's why she carries a bow)

**Hakuzo** - (learned) took the form of a Buddhist scholar, and would talk and answer religious dialogues in the temples. He was seen as very wise, and very scholarly. When he was discovered to be kitsune, he vanished, but would later be seen hanging around outside the temple, preaching the doctrine of Buddha in the dark. Later, the temple was renamed Hakuzo Inari.

**Jingoro** - _Jingoro_ (enshrined) was recored as possessing someone when he thought the man was going to try to kill him. The man, to escape possession and not come to harm, had a shrine built to Jingoro, calling it Jingoro-Inari.

**Genkuro** - is a kitsune, who's parents were 1000 years old, and were hunted to form a magical drum called a _tsuzumi_. The drum was used to seduce the Fortune of rain into producing storms at the sound of it. It is through a play about Genkuro that it is learned that kitsune are feminine in nature.

**Gengoro** - (express messenger) was a kitsune known for having the strength, speed, and vitality of three people, and was known to do farmwork, and send messenges for the people he protected. He was later killed by a wild dog.

**Kojoro** - (little maid) was the mate of Gengoro, and appeared to be a young maid of around 12 to 14. She would do duties for the temple she lived in, and seemed to be quite popular among the children of the region. She vanished after four years.

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**Quotes:**

What's in a name? That which we call a roseBy any other name would smell as sweet.~**William Shakespeare, **_**Romeo and Juliet**_

Words have meaning and names have power. ~**Author Unknown**

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**Author's Note:**

Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and what not, I really appreciate that feedback!!

See ya next time an please **review!**


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